After a tumultuous offseason in which he’s demanded a new contract or for the Broncos to trade him, receiver Brandon Marshall has seemingly reached his boiling point.

During a recent practice, Marshall exuded frustration by punting balls after catching them (instead of handing them to the ball boy) and swatting away a pass that was thrown to him. But he now admits that his actions were an “error in judgment” on his part.

From ESPN.com:

In the video aired by KMGH-TV from Wednesday’s portion of practice that was open to the media, Marshall was shown walking when the rest of the team was running during warmups, insolently punting the ball away instead of handing it to a ball boy and swatting away a pass that was thrown to him.

Marshall said some of the video, which included a shot of him sitting on his pads before practice, was taken out of context. But he acknowledged his frustration boiled over and that it was an error in judgment to act as he did, especially when he punted the ball.

“I think everybody knows there’s a lot of stuff built up there, and me handling it that way wasn’t good,” Marshall said during the ESPN phone interview. “I think if I could do it again I definitely wouldn’t punt the ball.”

Marshall said he wasn’t trying to force his way out of town — he asked for a trade this summer after the Broncos declined to rework a contract which will pay him $2.2 million this season.

“I’m not out there trying to be a distraction to the team,” Marshall said. “Unfortunately, yesterday I kind of let my frustration get the best of me.”

I went into more detail yesterday about Marshall’s situation in Denver, which you can read here. But the bottom line is that he needs to look up the word professionalism and then apply it to his career.

He’s not doing himself any favors by acting like a child while at practice. In fact, he’s only getting further and further away from what he truly wants (whether that’s a new contract, to be traded or both).

According to a report by the Denver Post, the Broncos are willing to listen to offers for receiver Brandon Marshall, as long as those offers include a first and a fourth round draft pick.

The Broncos would listen for trade offers for Marshall if they included first- and fourth-round draft picks. But the buzz among the league executives contacted this week was that they would want to see if Marshall is healthy after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason.

And a few of those personnel executives said they would have to explain to the team ownership that Marshall, despite his acquittal on misdemeanor battery charges in Atlanta earlier this month, is still considered one more brush with the law away from a substantial suspension by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

In other words, despite their battle of wills, McDaniels and Marshall may need each other, at least for the time being. McDaniels needs a playmaker, the executives said, and Marshall needs to show he is full speed and ready to be a productive player, to get his wish to be traded.

The article hits the nail on the head; Marshall needs to play ball (literally and figuratively) if he expects to get what he wants. He wants a new contract and/or to be traded, but he can’t have either of those things if he makes a stink in Denver, because the Broncos will be unwilling to give him more money and unable to deal him to another team.

Marshall’s best course of action would be to get healthy, suit up, shut up and play. That way he shows good faith to the Broncos and proves to other teams that he’s worth the risk. As of now, he hasn’t even taking the time to learn the Broncos’ playbook and continues to speak out about wanting a new contract. Those things aren’t helping him.

From a pure trade stand point, the compensation of a first and a fourth for a receiver of Marshall’s talent would be worth it for a team. But factor in his health and his off-field history, and the situation gets a lot more complicated.

This certainly bears watching, but I don’t think the Broncos are going to get a 1st and a 4th for Marshall, and given his overall attitude this summer, teams will only trade for him if they’re getting a good deal. He’s practicing now, which is a good sign, and that makes him an interesting pick in the 4th or 5th round of fantasy drafts. While all of this drama has been going on, Eddie Royal has been working his tail off, and he may end up as the team’s top receiver. This would make him a great deal in the 5th or 6th.