ESPN NFL

DENVER -- Darryl Gardener, who was suspended twice and played little during a disappointing season with the Denver Broncos, settled his dispute with the team over his $5 million signing bonus Wednesday.

Terms were not released.

Gardener, a defensive tackle, and the Broncos filed grievances against each other after the team withheld $2 million of his signing bonus and tried to recoup $3 million already paid.

The Broncos said Gardener violated terms of the contract he signed last March by engaging in conduct detrimental to the team.

"Anytime you sign a contract, there is an obligation to perform at a certain level and prepare at a certain level to live up to the standards of the organization," coach Mike Shanahan said in November. "That has not been met."

Gardener, who signed a seven-year, $34.8 million deal last year, was supposed to be Denver's big free-agent pickup of the offseason. But he was arrested for a fight outside a pancake house in July. He missed training camp and the team's first five games because of wrist surgery stemming from the fight.

He started two games after returning from the injury, but was replaced as a starter in November.

Shanahan then suspended Gardener for a total of three games, once after he complained about the defensive coaches and scheme, and once after he criticized Shanahan on a radio show.

Gardener was deactivated for the last three games for an undisclosed non-football illness.

"We have a number of teams interested in signing him," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said in an interview with DenverBroncos.com. "If that happens, we hope to get, if not all, a good portion of our money back."

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press