As the league year and free agency began, the Denver tenures of two Broncos starters ended.
Wide receiver Javon Walker and weakside linebacker Ian Gold were both released on Friday afternoon, one day shy of two months after a frustrating 2007 season that saw both grapple with knee injuries.
BRONCOS TV: MASON ON WALKER, GOLD:
Gold’s injury sidelined him for most of the Week 15 loss at Houston and all of the last two games, during which Jamie Winborn took his place. Walker, meanwhile, finished the season on the field — with two receptions in each of the final three games — but knee problems took their toll, necessitating surgery on Oct. 19 and a recovery that limited him to spot duty upon his return to the field over a month later.
Walker seemed to foretell the future the day after the regular-season finale, when he said “No,” when asked whether he saw the team as a good fit for him.
“What it boils down to at this point is I’ve got to go where the best fit is for me,” he said during a rambling question-and-answer session that occasionally saw him lapse into the third person.
Javon Walker, Dec. 31, 2007:
“Wherever Javon’s talents can be used at, I’ve got to go to where the best fit’s for me.”
Microfracture surgery on the ailing knee is a possibility, Head Coach Mike Shanahan acknowledged at his season-ending press conference in January.
“There’s talk of a microfracture somewhere down the line,” Shanahan said then. “It could be two or three years from now; it could be four years. We just don’t know.”
Reports are also rampant that the Broncos have retained two of their unrestricted free agents — defensive end John Engelberger and tight end Nate Jackson.
Comment below.
Tags: Ian Gold, Javon Walker
Whats this about Marcus Thomas getting arrested in Florida. Suprise suprise. I guess this is what you get when you draft people with character problems. What is the penalty from the league for a 1st offense of possesion of cocaine? Sounds like were pretty much screwed at DT.
well recent developments say that the driver took the blame,,no traces of coke wer found on Thomas,,,results on tests were negative,,,,their just waiting to see if there would be charges,,,,idk,,i read this on one of the BRoncos top stories,,,
this guy should get his act together,,,the organization risked signing him considering his past problems,,,but those days are over,maybe i’m wrong and he is not at fault,,,who knows…
lets just hope he remains clean from now on,,,,
i cant belive that KC got Williams he would have been sick on the edges with DJ…and GOLD if we had kept him…fast and better is what we would have been…but enough of that….
we need to get Jason Taylor so bad….think about it he would bring pass rush, starpower, leadership, and would be a good person for Moss, and Crowder to learn from….Plus he would make champs job that much easier for the passrush and all the effort opposing teams would go to stop him!!!
please sign him!! we already blew the justin smith, all the DT deals, briggs, zach thomas,, we lets all our rivals get everyone im wouldnt be at all surpirsed if JT went to KC or SD or the pats or sumthin……
anyone who wouldve wanted justin smith is stupid. especially at the money they gave him. at half that price i wouldve still raised an eyebrow. the broncos have showed restraint which i am for one very pleased with. justin smith, people? are you kidding me? cincys D was worse than denvers last year….yeah we need a justin smith like a hole in the head. FA is not the way to get it done. the draft is, with a pickup here or there….smart pickups not 35 million dollar pickups for mid level talent….shaun rogers? cmon ppl settle down. corey williams was a good get….but we havent heard what kind of fool hardyness the browns gave him in a contract……No you dont win by going after high priced FA’s
ramboskithefan, Having Jason taylor on our team would be the best thing I think this team could do to strengthen our d line. But that would be a huge ticket number for the organization. especially come re-signing time for him. we just don’t have the cap room to sign a big name player like Jason Taylor.
BYE BYE Walker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brandon is a way better reciever than you’ll ever dream of.
well javon went to OAKLAND. TRAITOR much?? i cant stand this guy. i have a pic of him in my room… its goin down.
I am not sad to see either of these guys go. I wish we would have gotten something for Javon, but lets face it he wasn’t worth much, he is just an injury pron WR. The thing I have really been disappointed with is we have not been active in free agency at least you kinda of know what you are getting were in the draft you never know if the player will be a bust or not. Maybe we should try to get Sapp to rethink retiring and come play for the Broncos! (Ha Ha Ha)