Jim Harbaugh Criticizes Broncos’ Handling Of Daiyan Henley Trade

Harbaugh’s frustration was centered around Denver’s attempt to re-open trade negotiations and acquire Henley for less compensation after his physical.

“It’s a medical grade,” Harbaugh said (via Gabriel). “It’s a pass/fail for a medical grade. They told us they weren’t going to pass him if it was a fourth and a fifth, which was agreed upon. They’d pass him for a fourth and a fill in the blank.”

The Broncos discovered arthritis in Henley’s knee during his physical, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. They felt the results did not match the information they were provided by the Chargers before agreeing to the deal, which they saw as a long-term investment, 9News Mike Klis adds.

By that time, the trade deadline had passed. The NFL permits club to revise draft pick compensation after the deadline, and the Broncos received permission from the league to pursue that route, according to The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. But the Chargers did not want to alter the original terms, with Harbaugh putting a voice to their own frustrations. He argued on Thursday that NFL medical grades should be strictly pass/fail without the ability to revisit the deal in the event of a failed physical. His point, effectively, is that a medical grade is binary, so there should not be a sliding scale of trade value based on the results of a physical.

Teams reserve the right to cancel trades based on the results of a physical, so it is not an uncommon occurrence in the NFL. However, this is the second high-profile instance this year after the Ravens backed out of their trade for Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Interestingly, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz came up under Eric DeCosta in Baltimore, but they were on opposite ends of their respective situations.

Harbaugh’s comments hint that the Chargers may attempt to address this issue when the NFL considers rule changes at league meetings in the offseason.