News & Info/Headlines

As first reported by the Denver Post, Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels named Kyle Orton his starting quarterback on Saturday afternoon. Orton had been competing with Chris Simms for the job throughout the season.

Orton, who was acquired from the Chicago Bears in April as part of the Jay Cutler trade, was named the starter with two days remaining in the Broncos' off-season mini-camp training program.

He will start regular training camp in July as the Broncos' No. 1 quarterback.

McDaniels' decision to suddenly name Orton the starter means there never really was a contest.

It makes sense. ... I'll remind you that reports at the time Cutler was shipped off to Chicago all indicated the trade hinged on Orton's inclusion. This after McDaniels looked hard at tape of the available quarterbacks from the teams making serious offers -- a list that included Orton, Washington's Jason Campbell and Tampa Bay's Luke McCown.

McDaniels, who watched every offensive snap of more than 10 Bears games with Orton playing, got more and more impressed with Orton's arm, his decision-making and his ability to extend plays when the pocket broke down.

So, as ESPN.com's Bill Williamson suggested this afternoon, Orton has been the starter McDaniels has envisioned since he was acquired.

The reasons go beyond the obvious (that Orton was part of the compensation received for Cutler). First and foremost, training camp is going to be critical time for the Denver offense.

As Williamson explained, players will be adjusting to both a new coaching staff and a new quarterback. With this announcement, Orton will be getting optimum preparation time to work with his new teammates and play in the preseason. Everyone will need to take advantage of that time.

Williamson further notes that McDaniels, the former offensive coordinator in New England, is known for his work with quarterbacks. One of the reasons why he was a hot head-coaching candidate at the age of 32 was the work he did with Matt Cassel after Tom Brady injury last season.

Now, he has to work his magic with Orton.

And as Williamson summed up: "[McDaniels] clearly believes Orton will succeed. Saturday, he made it official, proving it was never really a race. ..."

Also of interest. ... When Brandon Marshall did not show up for the second day of mandatory mini-camp today, it wasn't a huge surprise.

Seeking a new contract, Marshall had skipped the previous three weeks of voluntary passing camp plus the first two days of this weekend's ongoing mandatory mini-camp.

Marshall met Friday afternoon with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen but walked out of team headquarters a little more than an hour later carrying packed boxes to his car before driving away from the players' parking lot without comment -- a development that prompted Post staffer Mike Klis to wonder if Marshall has caught his last pass for the Broncos.

Klis went on to suggest anything must be considered possible in an offseason in which the Broncos have already said goodbye to Cutler.

In Marshall's case, the star receiver, recovering from recent hip surgery, doesn't want to be treated by the Broncos' medical staff if the team won't give him a new contract. Marshall sent that message both through his absence from the start of this weekend's mandatory sessions and presumably during his audience with Bowlen on Friday afternoon.

As Klis explained, because he wasn't selected until the fourth round in the 2006 draft, Marshall was essentially slotted into a contract that paid him a relatively modest $1.5 million in combined salary and signing bonus through his first three seasons.

A Pro Bowl incentive in that contract pushed Marshall's fourth-year salary -- for 2009 -- to $2.198 million. However, Marshall believes he is getting paid fourth-round money for a player who has delivered the production of a top-10 overall draft pick.

He has a point.

Marshall has averaged 103 catches, 1,295 yards and 6 1/2 touchdowns the past two seasons. And based on an NFL salary database compiled by USA Today last season, Klis notes that 58 receivers made more than $2.2 million last season.

Still, Marshall has copious issues that complicate matters.

Not the least of those issues would be the fact that one more off-field transgression could easily earn Marshall a significant league suspension. That he's still recovering from the hip surgery, performed April 1, makes it even harder for team officials to make a new monetary commitment (especially when Marshall's decision to rehab elsewhere makes it more difficult to gauge his recovery).

I would suggest his lack of leverage -- and the perception that team officials caved in letting Cutler force his way out of town -- will continue to work against Marshall.

Assuming he doesn't show up for Sunday's final mandatory workout, the Broncos (and Fantasy owners) are going to have until training camp opens in late July to try to figure out Marshall's next move.

Based on what we've seen to date, Marshall making what you or I might consider the "right" move is by no means a foregone conclusion.