Broncos sign Russell Okung

[flyerhawk]

Sources: Broncos to add Okung, Clady on block

10.6 per year for 5 years. No word on guaranteed money yet.

Not surprised to see him go. He was, at times, a very good blocker and other times seemed lost and missed far too much time due to injury.

 

[megalodon30]

Welcome to the Champs, Russell.

Go Broncos!

 

[Wolvie]

 

[RegentDenali]

Insane money for an often injured LT.

He's had granny ankles since he was a rookie. Enjoy it Broncos.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

As I wrote on the Seahawks forum:

5 years $53M is a bit much. Not so much on the contract amount but the length. Of course this is pending guaranteed so we'll have to see what that turns out to be.

Okung is still one of the most athletically gifted OTs in the NFL and when healthy is a positively graded player so I have to give them a positive grade for that. However, he's injury prone, is going to be 29 meaning he'll be signed through 34 which doesn't bode well.

I dislike the contract length more than the player and while Okung has been on the field more the last few seasons than Clady, I'm not sure it's that great.

C grade. A grade if Okung stays healthy for 80 games (not counting playoffs) as $10M for a tackle of his talent is a steal, but given past history it's a long shot, moving that to an average C.

Pending guaranteed, I may bump this to the B range.

EDIT: Contract details seemed to surface. One year guaranteed $5M ($8M incentives) with an option to pick up the 4 year for the remaining $12M/per ($20M guaranteed).

Changing this to a B+ grade. Essentially a 1 year prove it deal with incentives. I still can't give this an A since the Broncos may take away time from younger talent on a team slightly in rebuild mode on offense, but it's certainly a good pickup for now. Also, Okung is hardly a longer term solution so at least Denver can trial him this year, but exercising the 4 year option may not really be that great of one. Still, it's all about options in the NFL and Denver is certainly getting a premium deal for now. On a personal note: Dammit Seattle...

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Kind of amused the Chiefs got Mitchell Schwartz for a lesser pricetag than Okung

 

[Broncosr0k]

Kind of amused the Chiefs got Mitchell Schwartz for a lesser pricetag than Okung

Yeah, can't really say the broncos did well here. Sounds like they traded one expensive, injured LT for another expensive injured LT. The saving grace here is it sounds like the broncos can treat him like a rental and upgrade next year. We have a lot of needs and this strikes me a little as a band-aid option.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Yeah, can't really say the broncos did well here. Sounds like they traded one expensive, injured LT for another expensive injured LT. The saving grace here is it sounds like the broncos can treat him like a rental and upgrade next year. We have a lot of needs and this strikes me a little as a band-aid option.

That's the only reason it gets a B+ in my book. Was a C prior to his contract. I would also say accepting the option may actually get a C-/D+ grade from my book next year. He'll be 30 and his injuries really haven't been due to conditioning, etc. just weaker ankle injuries which can be hard to 'condition out of.'

That said, great contract at the moment. Get one of the most athletically gifted LTs in the league for $5M... and if he gets the full $8M that means you just got amazing LT performance. Great 1 year rental if anything and with Seattle likely taking an OT with their 1st, the OT class may be slim this year.

This is the draft you want to spend on DL/OLB so I'm assuming with the departure of Malik, Denver would like to replace the troops on that side of the ball and perhaps get an OT in the mid rounds (where it's a bit more deep) to groom.

 

[Duffman]

I like that it's a year by yer deal and Denver can cut him when he can't produce.

 

[cdumler7]

I thought this was a great deal. Only $5 million actually committed and big chunk of the contract being incentive driven. You play well you get paid.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

He has injury issue, but that aside he's a good LT ... I was hoping we would get him back... Broncos got a good player here...

 

[cdumler7]

Well we essentially with this deal gain about $4 million in cap space when Clady is cut or traded

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I like that it's a year by yer deal and Denver can cut him when he can't produce.

He's gonna do fine for you guy's ... as long as he stay's healthy he'll lock it down well... I like Okung, I was hoping we coulda kept him ...

 

[Fountain City Blues]

With how the market is at LT, it'll take a pretty big injury (admittedly a concern for Okung) for the Broncos to decline the 4 year option. Short term it's fine though. I wouldn't really call it a rental, however.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Now he can false start for Denver.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Surprised they didn't retain Harris? He was the cheaper option.

Oh well, glad that worked out in PIT's favor. They had both Harris & Okung in this last week. Harris was signed this week. Not a chance PIT was going to pay Okung that amount.

 

[Guywithtoaster]

Just when you think Seattle's line can't get any worse, it does.

 

[cdumler7]

Surprised they didn't retain Harris? He was the cheaper option.

Oh well, glad that worked out in PIT's favor. They had both Harris & Okung in this last week. Harris was signed this week. Not a chance PIT was going to pay Okung that amount.

Harris is more of a RT than LT. Broncos were hoping Clady would play for $5 million this year after a pay cut and he refused so they got Okung for that amount instead

 

[LambeauLegs]

Once they have a ring the money is more important inmost cases. It gets harder to keep them

 

[ducky]

I thought this was a great deal. Only $5 million actually committed and big chunk of the contract being incentive driven. You play well you get paid.

He's an OL. Impossible to put performance incentives in that contract other than games played. My guess is he gets a huge chunk of it just by playing.

He missed all of last season so the Broncos could have put in a $1m bonus for 8 games played and it would be considered NLTBE and would push the cap hit on that money to next year. My guess is he is just using at least part of that $8 M in incentives that way just as way to fit him under the cap and keep enough open space to still bring in Fitz or Kaep.

What is interesting is that the Broncos can't use winning a super bowl as an incentive as a way to push cap forward this season because any clause like that would be now considered LTBE as they accomplished that last year. So it would be unlikely to have too much of that money locked in as team incentives because it would count against the cap this season (but would be refunded next season if not accomplished).