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Broncos' moves give Lelie emotion sickness
No. 3 receiver sounds off after Walker is acquired
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
May 1, 2006
Mike Shanahan maintained during draft weekend he would be shocked if Ashley Lelie wasn't part of the Denver Broncos this season, even after Pro Bowl receiver Javon Walker was acquired in a trade.
That big surprise is perhaps closer than the Broncos coach believes.
Lelie, who is sitting out the team's off-season conditioning program because of his desire to be traded to a team that would allow him to compete as the No. 1 receiver, has much different plans. They include him possibly staying away until deep into the regular season.
The fourth-year pro watched during draft weekend as his primary goal to compete for a No. 1 receiving job slipped further away.
The Broncos were asking for a second-round pick for Lelie but kept him.
Then, after acquiring Walker, the Broncos put the former Green Bay Packers player on the verge of a rich, six-year contract.
That has locked Lelie into what he now believes is an untenable position as the team's third receiver. Nothing more. Nothing less.
And given Lelie's belief in himself, it's something he can't stand for.
"I don't believe I'm a third wideout. I can't believe that. I'm not going to believe that until I physically prove that on the field evenly and fairly on the field," said Lelie, who Sunday made his first public comments of the off-season. "But now I don't have that chance here."
Lelie stressed it isn't about being afraid of competition. His beef is the playing field no longer is fair, given the multimillion-deal Walker is close to signing, one that could include as much as $10 million in guarantees.
If Walker were playing out the final year of his contract, which he would have if a new contract had not been negotiated after the Broncos obtained him Saturday for a second-round pick, Lelie said he would feel he was getting a fairer shake.
But that's not the case.
"He's got all this money up front and got a big contract, and you really think they gave him all that just to put him on the bench?" Lelie said.
Lelie compared it to bringing in Champ Bailey last year and telling the other cornerbacks his job was up for grabs.
"I'm the No. 3 receiver, no matter what they say about coming in to compete," he said.
Lelie, the Broncos' first-round pick in 2002, still wants to be traded and given the chance to prove he can be a No. 1 receiver. But he also doubts a move will be made with the draft completed.
"If I have to sit out this whole year and become a free agent next year, then sign a one-year deal to prove myself to somebody else to be a No. 1, I will," he said, knowing he has to report by Week 10 to gain free agency.
Asked how the situation ultimately will play out, Lelie remained unsure but said he was "prepared for the worst, and the worst is me sitting out the whole year."
Lelie has been working out in Phoenix, alongside Walker.
Shanahan's media availability ended before Lelie made his comments, and general manager Ted
Sundquist did not return a call.
The Broncos gave Lelie's agent permission to find a suitable trade partner, and it has been reported to Lelie - though he said he couldn't confirm the story - that the team turned down a third-round offer last weekend.
And while the Broncos were "fair" for letting his agent shop, it's Lelie's contention that sticking to a second-round choice "if they knew I was going to be a third receiver anyway" wasn't on the up-and-up.
Worse, with Walker still recovering from a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, Lelie envisions a scenario in which he is with the starters during training camp only for the Broncos to hold a spot for Walker until he's completely ready to resume full training-camp activity.
That thought only made him stew more.
Another factor in Lelie going public is he believes that acquiring Walker is a sign of no confidence.
"To go out and shop and get another big-time receiver, it pushes all the blame on me, that I'm the one not producing, and that it's not the offense and system," he said.
Lelie has been one of the league's premier deep threats for the past two seasons but often has drawn criticism for his lack of consistent involvement in the offense. But Lelie, who caught 42 passes for 770 yards last season, sees the run-oriented scheme and the inconsistent number of times he has been a target as a factor in keeping his statistics down just as much as his play.
It's why he asked for the opportunity to prove himself as a No. 1 receiver in the first place.
"It's the way they run the offense. I know that and the Broncos know that," he said. "They know that's why my numbers aren't gaudy like a lot of other receivers and why I don't have 12 or 14 touchdowns."
Lelie has had only one season with more than two touchdowns (seven in 2004) and has 12 in his career. And it's doubtful NFL personnel executives are basing his performance solely on numbers.
But former Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, now coach of the Houston Texans, said in February that Lelie probably has a 100-catch season in him sometime during his career.
Lelie wanted to make it clear his issues have nothing to do with money, only opportunity.
"I'm not going to be the best receiver that ever played as somebody's backup or sitting on the bench," he said, stating his mind-set since he walked on at the University of Hawaii. "I'd rather go out and compete and lose out fairly then lose out this way."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_4663949,00.html
No. 3 receiver sounds off after Walker is acquired
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
May 1, 2006
Mike Shanahan maintained during draft weekend he would be shocked if Ashley Lelie wasn't part of the Denver Broncos this season, even after Pro Bowl receiver Javon Walker was acquired in a trade.
That big surprise is perhaps closer than the Broncos coach believes.
Lelie, who is sitting out the team's off-season conditioning program because of his desire to be traded to a team that would allow him to compete as the No. 1 receiver, has much different plans. They include him possibly staying away until deep into the regular season.
The fourth-year pro watched during draft weekend as his primary goal to compete for a No. 1 receiving job slipped further away.
The Broncos were asking for a second-round pick for Lelie but kept him.
Then, after acquiring Walker, the Broncos put the former Green Bay Packers player on the verge of a rich, six-year contract.
That has locked Lelie into what he now believes is an untenable position as the team's third receiver. Nothing more. Nothing less.
And given Lelie's belief in himself, it's something he can't stand for.
"I don't believe I'm a third wideout. I can't believe that. I'm not going to believe that until I physically prove that on the field evenly and fairly on the field," said Lelie, who Sunday made his first public comments of the off-season. "But now I don't have that chance here."
Lelie stressed it isn't about being afraid of competition. His beef is the playing field no longer is fair, given the multimillion-deal Walker is close to signing, one that could include as much as $10 million in guarantees.
If Walker were playing out the final year of his contract, which he would have if a new contract had not been negotiated after the Broncos obtained him Saturday for a second-round pick, Lelie said he would feel he was getting a fairer shake.
But that's not the case.
"He's got all this money up front and got a big contract, and you really think they gave him all that just to put him on the bench?" Lelie said.
Lelie compared it to bringing in Champ Bailey last year and telling the other cornerbacks his job was up for grabs.
"I'm the No. 3 receiver, no matter what they say about coming in to compete," he said.
Lelie, the Broncos' first-round pick in 2002, still wants to be traded and given the chance to prove he can be a No. 1 receiver. But he also doubts a move will be made with the draft completed.
"If I have to sit out this whole year and become a free agent next year, then sign a one-year deal to prove myself to somebody else to be a No. 1, I will," he said, knowing he has to report by Week 10 to gain free agency.
Asked how the situation ultimately will play out, Lelie remained unsure but said he was "prepared for the worst, and the worst is me sitting out the whole year."
Lelie has been working out in Phoenix, alongside Walker.
Shanahan's media availability ended before Lelie made his comments, and general manager Ted
Sundquist did not return a call.
The Broncos gave Lelie's agent permission to find a suitable trade partner, and it has been reported to Lelie - though he said he couldn't confirm the story - that the team turned down a third-round offer last weekend.
And while the Broncos were "fair" for letting his agent shop, it's Lelie's contention that sticking to a second-round choice "if they knew I was going to be a third receiver anyway" wasn't on the up-and-up.
Worse, with Walker still recovering from a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, Lelie envisions a scenario in which he is with the starters during training camp only for the Broncos to hold a spot for Walker until he's completely ready to resume full training-camp activity.
That thought only made him stew more.
Another factor in Lelie going public is he believes that acquiring Walker is a sign of no confidence.
"To go out and shop and get another big-time receiver, it pushes all the blame on me, that I'm the one not producing, and that it's not the offense and system," he said.
Lelie has been one of the league's premier deep threats for the past two seasons but often has drawn criticism for his lack of consistent involvement in the offense. But Lelie, who caught 42 passes for 770 yards last season, sees the run-oriented scheme and the inconsistent number of times he has been a target as a factor in keeping his statistics down just as much as his play.
It's why he asked for the opportunity to prove himself as a No. 1 receiver in the first place.
"It's the way they run the offense. I know that and the Broncos know that," he said. "They know that's why my numbers aren't gaudy like a lot of other receivers and why I don't have 12 or 14 touchdowns."
Lelie has had only one season with more than two touchdowns (seven in 2004) and has 12 in his career. And it's doubtful NFL personnel executives are basing his performance solely on numbers.
But former Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, now coach of the Houston Texans, said in February that Lelie probably has a 100-catch season in him sometime during his career.
Lelie wanted to make it clear his issues have nothing to do with money, only opportunity.
"I'm not going to be the best receiver that ever played as somebody's backup or sitting on the bench," he said, stating his mind-set since he walked on at the University of Hawaii. "I'd rather go out and compete and lose out fairly then lose out this way."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_4663949,00.html
