Broncos near deal to send Plummer to Bucs

[retailguy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2785459

ESPN.com has learned that the Denver Broncos have reached agreement in principle on most of the elements of a trade that will send veteran quarterback Jake Plummer to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.




Plummer
Under the terms being discussed, the Broncos would receive a middle-round draft choice, believed to be a fourth-rounder, in exchange for Plummer. The trade could be announced as early as Friday.


Tampa Bay re-signed Chris Simms to a two-year contract earlier this offseason. But with Simms coming off a 2006 season in which he underwent an emergency splenectomy, the Bucs have been shopping for a veteran quarterback to bolster the depth chart.


Veteran backup Tim Rattay became an unrestricted free agent on Friday and was not expected to return to Tampa Bay.


Plummer, 32, lost his starting job in Denver to rookie Jay Cutler late last season and the Broncos have been entertaining trade offers in the offseason. A 10-year veteran, Plummer has started 136 games in stints with Arizona (1997-2002) and Denver (2003-2006). He has completed 2,484 of 4,350 passes for 29,253 yards, with 161 touchdown passes and 161 interceptions, for a passer rating of 74.6.


Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com

[retailguy]

From KFFL:

Broncos | Plummer update
Fri, 2 Mar 2007 08:32:11 -0800

Updating a previous item, Gary Miller, of CBS4 Denver, reports the Denver Broncos have traded QB Jake Plummer to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The deal could be officially announced as early as Friday, March 2.

[MadtownPacker]

Yeah, they sure upgraded.

[Partial]

Plummer will be alright.

[]{ilr]3]

Maybe not!

PLUMMER RETIRES

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer has retired in lieu of being traded to Tampa.

Word of the trade broke earlier this morning, but recent published reports suggested that Plummer might pack it in.

Plummer has played 10 NFL seasons. We have a weird feeling that, after a year or so on the sidelines, he might be lured back. The Cardinals, for example, will need a backup after Kurt Warner retires, and it would be fitting for Plummer to end his career there.

[red]

lol

theres a kick in the nuts to tampa

[Partial]

LOL wtf. I hope the trade was finalized and they lost a pick!!!

[woodbuck27]

Yea. Isn't he (Plummer) a real cowboy type?

Does Tampa and cowboys sound right?

[woodbuck27]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 2:10 p.m. EST, March 2, 2007

PLUMMER RETIREMENT A PLOY?

There's talk/speculation/ in league circles that Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer is using the retirement card as a ploy to get traded to Houston.

Though there was a report a week ago out of Denver that Plummer could pack it in, there was no hard evidence that he might quit until after news broke that Plummer would be traded to the Bucs for a fourth-round pick.

If Plummer retires, he'd potentially owe the team the portion of any signing bonus that applies to the three remaining years of his contract. And the Broncos have a history of playing hardball in matters of this nature -- just ask Dale Carter, Daryl Gardener, Eddie Kennison, and Ashley Lelie.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_5340491

Plummer refuses to take trade

By Bill Williamson
Denver Post Staff Writer

Article Last Updated: 03/02/2007 01:05:40 PM MST


In a turbulent turn of events, Jake Plummer has decided to retire rather than accept a trade from the Broncos to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , a source close to the situation said today.

The primary reason Plummer has decided to retire after 10 NFL seasons is he didn't want to go to a team with where there would be another quarterback controversy. Plummer, 31, was demoted in Denver with five games remaining during the 2006 season and was replaced by rookie Jay Cutler.

Cutler said last week that he wouldn't be surprised if Plummer retired rather than go into a similar situation. Plummer said in late December he wanted to play only as a starter.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden tried to talk Plummer into playing for the Buccaneers.

After a long conversation with his agents this morning, Plummer decided to quit rather than go to Tampa Bay. His decision nullified a trade that would have sent a fourth-round pick to Denver. Denver holds Plummer's rights for the next three seasons if he decides to play again .

Meanwhile, a source close to the situation, said the Broncos are intent on keeping Atlanta defensive end Patrick Kerney in Denver until he signs a contract. Kerney is scheduled to fly to Seattle on Saturday to meet with the Seahawks. Kerney is one of the top free agents on the market and would start for Denver at left defensive end.

Kerney has a close relationship with new Denver defensive line coach Bill Johnson, who spent the past six years with the Falcons.

Boulder-based agent Tom Mills denied an ESPN radio report that former CU star Daniel Graham has signed with the Broncos. Graham is visiting the Bronco , but has plans of making other visits. The Broncos still have a chance to sign him, but no deal has been struck and it may take a few days for Graham to make a decision.

[Joemailman]

QB Plummer spurns Buccaneers, announces retirement
March 4, 2007

CENTENNIAL, COLORADO (TICKER) -- A lot of retirees head to Florida. Jake Plummer apparently would rather stay in the Rocky Mountains.

Plummer ended all speculation regarding his future Sunday, announcing his retirement on his foundation's official web site.

The announcement caps a whacky turn of events surrounding Plummer, who lost his job as the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback late last season and was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.

Rather than join a rebuilding team with a muddled quarterback situation in Tampa Bay, the 32-year-old Plummer instead decided to call it quits after 10 seasons.

"I want to thank my family and close friends for their loyal support through all these fun-filled, roller-coaster years," Plummer said in statement posted on the web site. "Second, I owe all of my greatest achievements in football to the men who stood by my side as my teammates and coaches."

After leading the Broncos to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons with the team, Plummer struggled in 2006, passing for 1,994 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a rating of 68.8. The veteran ultimately lost his starting job to Jay Cutler, Denver's 2006 first-round pick.

[b bulldog]

He is going to owe Denver like $5 mil in bonus money. In the end, he will end up in Houston with Kubiak.