If his career with the Denver Broncos had gone a little differently, linebacker Al Wilson could have been one of those smart, tough, hard-working players who becomes a beloved part of the franchise for years after he's retired.But it didn't work out that way, and Wilson and the Broncos are now in a dispute over whether the team owes him his 2007 salary. Wilson thinks the team did not give him proper treatment after he suffered a neck injury in 2006, and he's filed a grievance related to Article XLIV of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (which you can read online), which says teams are required to inform players in writing if they have a condition that "could be significantly aggravated" by continuing to play.
Wilson says the Broncos didn't tell him in writing that he had a herniated disk in his neck and that he first learned of it in the spring of 2007 when he failed a physical with the Giants. After failing that physical, he missed the entire 2007 season.
Wilson now says he's healthy enough to play, and the Lions have shown some interest in signing him. But whether he makes a living playing football in 2008 or not, he didn't in 2007, and he thinks that's the Broncos' fault. This grievance hearing will determine who's right. If Wilson wins, the Broncos will owe him the salary he was originally scheduled to make in 2007, and that salary will count against the Broncos' 2008 salary cap.
