Financial implications of McDaniel’s firing still unclear

2011 could be a very expensive year for the Denver Broncos.

When the team decided to part ways with coach Josh McDaniels on Dec. 6,  they did so in the second year of his four-year, $11.9 million contract. Unlike player contracts in the NFL, which generally don’t include a lot of guaranteed money which makes it easy for teams to release players once they begin to under-perform, coaches’ contracts are guaranteed. That means the Broncos could be responsible for paying McDaniels $7.5 million over the next two years.

Compounding that fact is that the Broncos are…