A week after NFL Films cut loose nearly 10 percent of its work force, one of the 32 NFL franchises is tightening the belt, too.

Per the Denver Post, the Broncos released eight employees on Wednesday, including director of media relations Paul Kirk and Andrew Mason, the managing editor of the team’s official web site.

“It’s a very, very difficult day when you have to eliminate jobs,” said Broncos’ chief operating officer Joe Ellis.  “Especially when loyal, hardworking employees are involved.  But our industry is like many others where downsizing and layoffs are required to make the business more effective.”

The moves possibly arise from a cash-flow problem within the franchise.  But, clearly, there’s not a profit problem.  So why can’t owner Pat Bowlen find a way to take advantage of the fact that he’s in a business that generates plenty of black ink, and that continues to enjoy continuous growth in the value of the operation?

As one league insider suggested, if Bowlen is having short-term money trouble, he should either get a loan (interest rates are down) or he should sell of a slice of the team.  A ten-percent chunk should generate $80 million, which could be used to, you know, keep folks employed.

Then again, there’s also a chance that money troubles are being used as a pretext for cleaning out unwanted employees.  It’s a fairly common practice – the workers are told that their positions are being eliminated when, in reality, the workers are being eliminated, and then replaced.

Regardless of the reason, it’s unusual to read about these kinds of corporate decisions in an industry that for decades has been doing better and better financially.