LINK to RMN story
Lelie, who is sitting out the team's off-season conditioning program because of his desire to be traded to a team that would allow him to compete as the No. 1 receiver, has much different plans. They include him possibly staying away until deep into the regular season.
The fourth-year pro watched during draft weekend as his primary goal to compete for a No. 1 receiving job slipped further away.
The Broncos were asking for a second-round pick for Lelie but kept him.
Then, after acquiring Walker, the Broncos put the former Green Bay Packers player on the verge of a rich, six-year contract.
That has locked Lelie into what he now believes is an untenable position as the team's third receiver. Nothing more. Nothing less.
And given Lelie's belief in himself, it's something he can't stand for.
"I don't believe I'm a third wideout. I can't believe that. I'm not going to believe that until I physically prove that on the field evenly and fairly on the field," said Lelie, who Sunday made his first public comments of the off-season. "But now I don't have that chance here."
Lelie stressed it isn't about being afraid of competition. His beef is the playing field no longer is fair, given the multimillion-deal Walker is close to signing, one that could include as much as $10 million in guarantees.
If Walker were playing out the final year of his contract, which he would have if a new contract had not been negotiated after the Broncos obtained him Saturday for a second-round pick, Lelie said he would feel he was getting a fairer shake.
But that's not the case.
"He's got all this money up front and got a big contract, and you really think they gave him all that just to put him on the bench?" Lelie said.
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LOL! What a dum-dum. What did he think was going to happen? He's a 1-dimensional WR who caught exactly 1 TD last year. So he makes his ultimatum & gets called on it, and now he's shocked?
Lelie, who is sitting out the team's off-season conditioning program because of his desire to be traded to a team that would allow him to compete as the No. 1 receiver, has much different plans. They include him possibly staying away until deep into the regular season.
The fourth-year pro watched during draft weekend as his primary goal to compete for a No. 1 receiving job slipped further away.
The Broncos were asking for a second-round pick for Lelie but kept him.
Then, after acquiring Walker, the Broncos put the former Green Bay Packers player on the verge of a rich, six-year contract.
That has locked Lelie into what he now believes is an untenable position as the team's third receiver. Nothing more. Nothing less.
And given Lelie's belief in himself, it's something he can't stand for.
"I don't believe I'm a third wideout. I can't believe that. I'm not going to believe that until I physically prove that on the field evenly and fairly on the field," said Lelie, who Sunday made his first public comments of the off-season. "But now I don't have that chance here."
Lelie stressed it isn't about being afraid of competition. His beef is the playing field no longer is fair, given the multimillion-deal Walker is close to signing, one that could include as much as $10 million in guarantees.
If Walker were playing out the final year of his contract, which he would have if a new contract had not been negotiated after the Broncos obtained him Saturday for a second-round pick, Lelie said he would feel he was getting a fairer shake.
But that's not the case.
"He's got all this money up front and got a big contract, and you really think they gave him all that just to put him on the bench?" Lelie said.
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LOL! What a dum-dum. What did he think was going to happen? He's a 1-dimensional WR who caught exactly 1 TD last year. So he makes his ultimatum & gets called on it, and now he's shocked?
We already have the best WR corp in the CFL.
