Bailey, now a Bronco, returns to face Redskins

ASHBURN, Va. -- Having reached his sixth season in the Mile High City, Champ Bailey has now played for the Denver Broncos longer than he did for the Washington Redskins.

But he's still very much missed.

"I'm not going to lie," the eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback said in a conference call with Washington reporters. "Everywhere I go outside of Denver, the only thing I get: 'I wish you were still with the Redskins.' That's all I get. Even in this city, there's Redskins fans everywhere."

It was in 2004 that Bailey left the wackiness of Washington for the relative stability of Denver, and he'll return for the first time when the Broncos visit the Redskins today.

Bailey was traded in a rare superstar-for-superstar swap that's a source of debate to this day. With negotiations going nowhere for a new contract, owner Dan Snyder sent the best cornerback in the game and a second-round draft pick to the Broncos for running back Clinton Portis. Portis has since piled up the yards and is within striking distance of the Redskins all-time rushing record, but was he worth both a shutdown cornerback and a high pick?

Said Bailey: "Honestly, I think they got what they wanted, and the Broncos got what they wanted. We're both still playing at a high level."

Bailey and Portis haven't met on the field since the trade. Bailey missed the meeting in Denver in 2005 with a hamstring injury, and Portis probably won't play today after suffering a concussion in last week's loss to Atlanta.

"It's funny how things happen," Bailey said. "At least he got to play at his old place, and I get to play at mine."

Bailey will get to see longtime close friend Fred Smoot. It seems ages ago that they were supposed to be the tandem that would rule the Redskins secondary for a decade. Bailey was a first-round pick in 1999, and Smoot a second-rounder by Washington in 2001. Smoot left after the 2004 season but returned after two seasons. He's now a bit player for the Redskins.

"I do miss playing with him," Smoot said. "I don't think a lot of people realized, me and him (were) one of the best young tandems out there."