Tim Tebow Isn't the First: Why Can't the Denver Broncos Do Contracts?

It was pretty hard to ignore the absence of No. 15 from training camp on Wednesday. And for once, this sportswriter is going to come down and say he agrees with Tim Tebow.

If Josh McDaniels and the front office made the decision to draft the kid as the "future of the franchise" quarterback, then they ought to be prepared to pay him. And yes, as a quarterback, you should get a salary premium over a guy like Dez Bryant with the Dallas Cowboys. As long as you were drafted in the same ball park range.

It is truly mind-numbing that this issue wasn't taken care of sooner, as Tim has publicly made it seem like he has a real interest in getting into the locker room and leading by example. In this situation, his clear lack of urgency seems to show he doubts he'll be making a huge contribution to the offense any time soon.

Sorry, Gator fans.

However, if the team values him and wants to develop him, how was this issue not foreseen?

The Denver Broncos have developed a habit of getting themselves into trouble with contracts.

During Brandon Marshall's entire stay in Denver, over the course of three 100-catch seasons, he never made more than $2 million in a season. Comparable receivers were making five times as much as he was.

By comparison, a 700-year-old Terrell Owens, who couldn't find a team until now, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals for that much. To be a No. 2 receiver.

Did that lead to Marshall being disgruntled in Denver?

Of course it did.

If your guy is a star player, pay him like a star player. I'll always think Brandon Marshall had irreplaceable talents (unlike Jay Cutler) and that Denver made a mistake in not appeasing him.

Then this whole offseason there was a cat fight between the front office and new defensive super star Elvis Dumervil. The guy led the NFL in sacks last season and has become synonymous with the term "pass rusher."

The Broncos finally decided that one guy from the class of 2006 was worth keeping, though getting the numbers crunched was apparently like pulling teeth.

Every team has trouble working out the finances for one player or another, and very often, one of those players ends up being one of the team's stars. However, in Denver, it seems like there are contract troubles with every star that is brought in through the door.

In Tebow's case, Josh McDaniels called to relay how "disappointed" he was that Tim hadn't made it in to camp.

Why are you calling Tim Tebow, Josh? Why not call Pat Bowlen and ask who the yuppie is down in contracts who spends half the day sitting on his hands and the other half of the day napping? Tim Tebow can't magically get better terms offered to him unless he does exactly what he is doing.

If you want the kid in camp, call the man with the pocket book.

Ultimately this will be viewed as a negligible stall in what I hope will be a very good career in Denver for Mr. Tebow, but this is a situation of stupidity rather than necessity.

Is it hard to feel bad for a kid who is about to become a multi-millionaire who spends all of his time playing the best game in the world?

I'd say it is.

But somehow, the Denver Broncos' front office can get me to that point in what has turned into a four-year spree of truly maddening decisions.

Let's not shoot for making it five, OK Pat?