Foxworth Youngest Ever NFLPA Board Member

Congratulations are in order for 24-year-old Dominique Foxworth who just became the youngest player elected to the NFLPA's 10-member executive board in the organizations history. Dominique shares his thoughts on his appointment at his blog.

Fox Colorado reports that Foxworth--a restricted free agent--is being scouted by a number of NFL teams. Denver offered Foxworth a 3rd round tender (the round he was drafted in). If Denver fails to match a competing offer for Foxworth, they'd receive a third round pick as compensation.

Some have argued that Ted Sunquist's attempts to package Foxworth in a deal for Jets Defensive Tackle Dwayne Robertson was the last straw in an already tense relationship with Broncos management. After Sundquist's departure, Foxworth was quickly removed from the table.

These facts leave one wondering how valued Foxworth is to Broncos management. On one hand, he was given an anemic contract offer (given his RFA status). On the other hand, Bowlen and Shanahan seem adamant that he won't be part of any trade. Perhaps Denver is setting the floor low to allow the market to determine Foxworth's value; perhaps they feel that Foxworth is a commodity at his position that doesn't warrant a large cap commitment (this was seemingly their thinking with Chris Myers); or perhaps money is so tight in Denver that they simply don't have the cash to spend. As this off season's free agency period comes to an end, we'll have a clearer picture. Giving another team the opportunity to give Foxworth a lucrative offer or one which contains a poison pill is an awfully big risk if they are, in fact, committed to keeping Dom in town.

Foxworth has performed capably at nickelback in his first two years. He was a veritable utility man last season, filling in at safety where our lackluster unit was ill equipped to compete. Given time, he could emerge as a top-shelf cornerback. Between Javon Walker's mouth, Travis Henry's hair samples and maternity tests, Marcus Thomas's drug problems, and Brandon Marshall's anger management problem (not to mention this idiot), it is refreshing to see a player display such great leadership so early in his career. With such rare intangibles, I would hate to see Denver lose a budding locker room leader to free agency.