Merilatt: The Broncos are getting a bad reputation

In the past two weeks, the Denver Broncos have primarily been bystanders during the NFL's annual spending spree known as free agency.

Yes, the Broncos have made a few moves, but none have been worthy of stopping the presses.

Meanwhile, plenty of marquee names have walked out the door at Dove Valley. In fact, four players considered among the 30 best free agents available, at least according to NFL.com, have departed.

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But the addition of a bunch of unknowns and the loss of a lot of familiar faces are not the biggest causes for concern this offseason. Those are simply the result of the Broncos being tight on salary cap space.

The largest issue surrounding the team is something that could cause major problems in the long run.

The Broncos are developing a bad reputation around the league for how they treat their players. More specifically, they are turning into a franchise that is known for using a guy while he's under contract and then coldly discarding him when he's no longer a part of the team's plans.

To some degree, that approach isn't a bad thing. After all, teams tend to get in trouble when they make personnel decisions based on sentimentality. In a salary-capped sport, there's no room for emotion when building a roster; it has to be all about ability and value. This is a mindset that has served the New England Patriots well during their heyday; yes, Bill Belichick is seen as cold and callous, but he's a guy who is willing to make a tough and unpopular decision if he thinks it's in the best interest of the team.

But deciding to go another direction doesn't have to result in an ugly breakup. It's possible to part ways cordially. That's where the Broncos are falling woefully short.

Julius Thomas was a very productive player during his time in Denver. Was he worth the huge contract the Jaguars gave him to take his talents to Jacksonville? Probably not. But because the Broncos never even contacted his agent after the season, the Pro Bowl tight end left with a bitter taste in his mouth.

He's not the only one who received the cold-shoulder treatment. The Broncos handled Orlando Franklin the same way, casting aside a player who was integral to the team's record-setting offense in 2013.

"I loved Denver," the offensive lineman told Mike Klis of the Denver Post after signing with the San Diego Chargers. "(I) had an amazing four years there. (The) fans were great. It just (stinks) that I didn't have a chance to keep playing there. The fact of the matter is when you don't get offered a deal, they're telling you they don't want you. They didn't even humor me with an offer."

The Broncos even played hardball with their best player. They asked Peyton Manning to take a pay cut despite leading the Broncos to a 38-10 regular-season record, two No. 1 seeds in the playoffs, three first-round byes and a Super Bowl appearance during his time in Denver.

But it wasn't the money in No. 18's revised contract that was of concern. Instead, the quarterback asking for a no-trade clause — something that his original deal with the Broncos didn't include — spoke volumes about how little he trusts the organization.

That's the reputation the Broncos have right now; there's a notion around the league that John Elway will send anyone packing, without batting an eye in the process. And that's a problem.

There's nothing wrong with being shrewd. They're nothing bad about being calculating. And there's nothing terrible about continually trying to upgrade the roster.

However, nobody likes to be treated like a piece of meat; nobody likes to be coldly discarded as though they never mattered. That's just human nature; and it's something the Broncos seem to fail to understand.

Eventually, free agents might not want to come to Denver; even big checks can't overcome a bad reputation, just ask the Raiders.

James Merilatt writes for Mile High Sports.