Looks like it’s a good thing that no team wasted their time picking up running back Travis Henry. That is if the report from Fox 31 in Denver is correct as they are reporting today that Henry has tested positive for marijuana. Henry would go down as a repeat offender and would be subject to a one-year suspension from the NFL.

Henry almost got that one-year suspension last year, but appealed the test and actually won. He would be lucky to be able to get back the league a second time. The back was released from the Broncos in June after just one season where he started fast, but then faltered at the end and ended the year with 691 yards. So far there has not been much interest in Henry, and there will be even less after this if it’s true.

It’s been a tough offseason for Broncos WR Brandon Marshall, but the wide out got some good news recently, as the Rocky Mountain News is reporting he’s been granted full clearance to take part in all team activities for the week ahead. The paper says that sources indicate he is already working with quarterback Jay Cutler on routes and timing.

The offseason nightmare for Marshall started when he had to have surgery on his forearm. It was later found that he injured the forearm while “horsing around” with some friends in an Orlando hotel room back in March. Marshall at first stated that he slipped on a McDonalds wrapper and put his arm through a TV.

Then it came out recently that the league was looking into a March 6th arrest in Atlanta for a misdemeanor battery charge. It was Marshall’s third arrest in 12 months, although no charges were filed. The incident took place about two weeks before Marshall suffered the forearm injury.

So the news that he’s cleared and ready to go for camp and training again is a huge sigh of relief for the receiver. The paper claims that Marshall was catching passes one-handed with his surgically repaired arm and caught any variety of passes. The nerve damage doesn’t appear to be lasting. Last season Marshall caught 102 passes for 1325 yards and 7 scores, and the team is counting on him to be their #1 wide out with Javon Walker released and now with the rival Raiders.

The Buccaneers and now retired QB Jake Plummer have come to a settlement, in which the QB will pay Tampa Bay back $3.5 million from a signing bonus.  If you recall, Plummer never played a down for Tampa Bay, as he was traded to the team from the Broncos, but retired and never took the field for Jon Gruden’s squad.

Under the terms of the deal, Plummer will pay the Bucs half of the $7 million in bonus money that the team said it was entitled to collect. As a result, a scheduled grievance hearing has been canceled. If everything works out with the settlement as planned, the Bucs should get an additional $3.5 million credited to their 2009 salary cap.

Plummer played 10 seasons in the league, and his best seasons came after leaving the Cards in 2003 for Denver.  In 2003 in 11 games he threw for 2182 yards, 15 TD’s and 7 interceptions with a QB rating of 91.2.  In leading the Broncos to the AFC Title game against the Steelers in 2005, he threw for 3366 yards in 16 games, a QB rating of 90.2, and 18 TD’s and 7 interceptions.

Our friend Adam Rank at NFL.com has just written an excellent column highlighting an interesting debate between Troy Akiman and John Elway. Here is the opening of the debate:

Troy Aikman and John Elway were two of the best quarterbacks to come out of the 1980s. Aikman was the first overall selection in 1989 and led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Elway was the first overall selection of the Baltimore Colts in 1983, but played his entire career with the Broncos. Elway ended his career in style with back-to-back Super Bowl wins and was a member of the 2004 Hall of Fame class.

But who was the best?

NFL.com editors and football enthusiasts Adam Rank and Jim Reineking try to answer that question over instant messenger in NFL.com’s “Instant Debate.”

Click HERE to enter the debate and see the sides chosen!

The Broncos today released running back Travis Henry, throwing out that they didn’t feel he was as committed to the team as he should have been.  “We did not feel his commitment to the Broncos was enough to warrant a spot on this football team,” coach Mike Shanahan said in a written statement. “Although Travis has the ability to be one of the top running backs in the NFL, we have to make decisions that are in the best interests of our organization and its goal of winning a Super Bowl.”

Henry spent just one season with Denver, rushing for 691 yards on 167 carries with four TD’s in a season marred by injuries.  The team had signed him to a five-year deal worth $22.5 million before the last season to be their feature back.  He started off last season red-hot, rushing for 453 yards in the first four games (113.2 per game), but then got hurt a few games later and rushed for just 258 yards the rest of the year.

The former 2nd round back of the Bills spent the first four seasons of his career with Buffalo, then went to the Titans in 2005, and cashed in on a 1200+ yard season in 2006 by signing the big deal with the Broncos in 2007.  He has run for 6086 yards adn 38 TD’s in his 7 year career.

NFL Gridiron Gab has spent the past few weeks breaking down the divisions with our “Offseason Overviews.”  We went through all 32 teams, and today we highlight the AFC West.  Click below to read the Offseason Overview of your AFC West team:

Oakland Raiders: Russell and Raiders Should Be Better in 08

Kansas City Chiefs: Chiefs Building From the Ground Up

San Diego Chargers: Health a Key for a Big Chargers Season

Denver Broncos: Broncos Look to Regain Playoff Form

The Broncos have added another running back to their crowded backfield, as today the team came to terms on a one-year deal with former Bucs back Michael Pittman.  The 32-year-old joins a backfield already with Travis Henry, Selvin Young, Andre Hall and fifth-round pick Ryan Torain.

Last season with Tampa Bay, Pittman ran for 286 yards on 68 carries, putting up 4.2 yards per carry.  Pittman is a 11-year vet, playing four years with the Cardinals before going to the Bucs in 2002.  He was on the Super Bowl team in 2003, rushing for 751 yards.  He has a career 21 touchdowns rushing and 8 receiving.

Franchise Player: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• TE Stephen Alexander is very unlikely to be back, he will probably retire.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

• LB Boss Bailey: UFA Lions; $17.5M/5 yrs, $4.35M SB.

• WR Keary Colbert: UFA Panthers: $7.3M/3 yrs, SB unknown.

• WR Darrell Jackson: FA 49ers; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• LB Niko Koutouvides: UFA Seahawks; $7.5M/3 yrs, SB unknown.

• S Marquand Manuel: UFA Panthers; $4.5M/3 yrs, $500,000 guaranteed.

• S Marlon McCree: FA Chargers; terms unknown.

• WR Samie Parker: UFA Chiefs; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• DT Dewayne Robertson (trade Jets).

• C Casey Wiegmann: UFA Chiefs; 2 yrs, terms unknown.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

• S Hamza Abdullah: RFA; $972,000/1 yr.

• DE Ebenezer Ekuban: UFA; 1 YR, terms unknown.

• DE John Engelberger: UFA; 2 yrs, terms unknown.

• CB Domonique Foxworth: Potential RFA; $972,000/1 yr.

• TE Nate Jackson: UFA; $2M/2 yrs, SB unknown.

• CB Karl Paymah: Potential RFA; $972,000/1 yr.

• OT Erik Pears: Potential ERFA; terms unknown.

• FB Cecil Sapp: UFA; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $485,000.

PLAYERS LOST

• K Jason Elam: UFA Falcons; $9M/4 yrs, $3.3M SB.

• S Nick Ferguson: UFA Texans; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• LB Ian Gold (released).

• LB Warrick Holdman (released).

• OT Matt Lepsis (retired).

• C Chris Myers: RFA; traded Texans.

• FB Paul Smith (released).

• WR Javon Walker (released).

The Broncos are looking to get back to basics in 2008, and that includes a running game that can grind it out, a passing game that is efficient, and a defense that forces mistakes. Last year the team went 7-9, and was undone by a defense that was awful in stopping the run, allowing 142.6 yards per game. They also were inconsistent, winning their first two, but then losing three straight, and by mid-season they were 3-4, giving up way too many points and yards on the ground. They missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and the pressure will be on this club to get back to form in 08.

They went out in the first round and drafted tackle Ryan Clady from Boise State, sending a message they want to get back to running the football. They also spent their money wisely in free agency, grabbing players like WR Darrell Jackson, LB Boss Bailey, S Marlon McCree, and C Casey Wiegmann. This is a far cry from a team that usually throws money at big names that fail to live up to the hype. Look for a new attitude this season for the Broncos, and if they can start fast (at Oakland, vs San Diego, vs New Orleans, at KC in weeks one through four), they very well could be an impact in the AFC West.

Offseason Grade to Date: B+

Bronco quarterback Jay Cutler has diabetes.  Team doctors recently diagnosed the most serious form of the disease, Type One, which means Cutler needs daily insulin shots.  Cutler is already on insulin, and taking part in offseason workouts.  The Broncos are confident that he’ll be able to play without complications.  Diabetics in sports history include Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers, Ron Santo of the Chicago Cubs and Jackie Robinson  –  who broke baseball’s color barrier.  Cutler turned 25 years old on Monday. 

Today’s Newark Star-Ledger is reporting that both the Broncos and Bengals are no longer interested in going after Jets defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. The paper puts out there that the Jets are likely to cut Robertson if no team is willing to make a deal for him, so why throw something at the Jets for him if he’s just going to end up on the open market anyway?

Robertson is due a $3 mil bonus in June, so that is when the team will likely sever ties with him. One team the paper says may be willing to give up something for him is the Lions, as they say that Detroit might be willing to give up a late round pick for him. The nose tackle is a no-show right now for workouts with the team. GM Mike Tannenbaum is trying to put on a happy face about the situation, saying that the team has not ruled out bringing Robertson back, but that he would have to redo his deal and be moved from DT to DE.