Broncos linked to TJ Ward and Jairus Byrd

[cdumler7]

Looks like Broncos are going to update the Safety position through Free Agency if they can. As soon as the deadline for the Franchise Tag passed one of the first teams mentioned for both of these guys was the Broncos. That would definitely be a major splash signing if the Broncos got either one of these guys.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Looks like Broncos are going to update the Safety position through Free Agency if they can. As soon as the deadline for the Franchise Tag passed one of the first teams mentioned for both of these guys was the Broncos. That would definitely be a major splash signing if the Broncos got either one of these guys.

I have a feeling that nearly every high profile defensive FA will be somehow "linked" to the Broncos. It's that season after all, but would be nice to see us land at least one of the guys mentioned.

 

[cdumler7]

Yeah I would bet the Broncos don't leave many stones unturned on the defensive side of the ball. Right now I'm hoping the Broncos on the defensive side of the ball resign DRC, one of Ayers/Mincey, Unrein, and maybe Phillips. Then in FA go and get a starting DE (preferably one of the young guys like Houston or Johnson but if not then Allen), MLB (Smith or Jackson look good), and a starting Safety (I like Byrd, Ward, or Whitner). This way come draft time they can look at the defensive side and get guys that don't have to start day 1 for us but can grow if need be but still contribute at least a little.


Offensively go get a LG and maybe sign one of the prove it WR's like Britt or Nicks. Then again with the draft just get the best available players. This makes it to where we are not having to reach very often in the draft for players. We are starting to see some of our developmental players pay off with guys like Thomas, Trevathon, Jackson, and Harris really pay off.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Yeah I would bet the Broncos don't leave many stones unturned on the defensive side of the ball. Right now I'm hoping the Broncos on the defensive side of the ball resign DRC, one of Ayers/Mincey, Unrein, and maybe Phillips. Then in FA go and get a starting DE (preferably one of the young guys like Houston or Johnson but if not then Allen), MLB (Smith or Jackson look good), and a starting Safety (I like Byrd, Ward, or Whitner). This way come draft time they can look at the defensive side and get guys that don't have to start day 1 for us but can grow if need be but still contribute at least a little.


Offensively go get a LG and maybe sign one of the prove it WR's like Britt or Nicks. Then again with the draft just get the best available players. This makes it to where we are not having to reach very often in the draft for players. We are starting to see some of our developmental players pay off with guys like Thomas, Trevathon, Jackson, and Harris really pay off.

I wouldn't touch Britt with a 29 1/2 foot pole. He has talent, but I just don't see much willingness to use it to his full potential. Maybe.....MAYBE a team friendly, heavily incentive-laden "prove it" contract, but nothing outside of that. Even that would be sketchy to me, since he'd be taking the place of someone else who wants it more.

Ayers can go. I don't really think he adds much to the team in the grand scheme of things. Would like to retain Phillips and Mincey may be worth a longer look too. Q. Smith is also in the mix, and reports are his recovery is coming along nicely, and coaches like what they see in him. Unrein isn't overly key. There seems to be a lot of depth developing in the interior line, and Unrein is backup to the others at best. Keep him if he's cheap, but I wouldn't bend over backwards to retain him.

DRC should be extended, and I don't see a Bronco future for Bailey. I'm hoping Elway convinces Champ that retirement is the best option. He's obviously sliding downhill in performance, and it would be nice to see him go before he becomes just a shell. Seeing him this season suggests to me his tank is nearly empty, even if he doesn't quite realize it yet. That $10 MM will go a long way in making the defense stronger.

 

[cdumler7]

Mostly the Ayers and Unrein signings are the 1-2 year type deals just because you can't have all-stars as back ups at many places. Ayers or Mincey make for nice depth at the DE position. They are not great starters but when needed can step in and make a play or two for us. Plus they already know the system so we are not teaching somebody new. That is why I included them in my list. If we lose them though yeah not going to be freaking out or anything.


Q. Smith is definitely my most intriguing guy I want to see on the field this year. He was a guy possibly creeping into 1st round potential before his injury and all reports I have read seem to suggest the team is very very high on him as a player. Maybe another J. Thomas for us that just takes some time to get healthy and develop but then comes on as a star.


Britt I mention him because talent wise on the market the only guy I think who can compete with him is Nicks (who I would much rather have). You are right he is a head case but if some team can ever get him to mentally handle the game he could be a nice one year addition. I wouldn't want him for any longer. Throw in I would draft another guy as a back up in case Britt just goes off the deep end. Again he isn't my first choice but if the Broncos bring him in on a 1-year prove it deal I will applaud the risky decision. Not all FA signings work out of course but every once in a while you have to take a chance on a guy with talent. Look how Knighton panned out for us this past season.


DRC yes should be extended and it sounds like he will be. Bailey is a guy if I am only focused on the business side of it he is already cut from the team. It is a no-brainer with his contract and the fact that there just is no dead money for his release. It is worth at least talking to him to see what kind of restructure he considers fair in his head but to me anything over $3 million for this next season he should just be cut.

 

[randymon]

Well I guess so much for retaining Bailey as a S. I never thought that was an option anyway as the S needs to be able/willing to come up and make big hits. Don`t get me wrong, Bailey has been untill recently, the best, surest, leading tackler Denvers had for many yrs. Its just time. As far as Unrein, I`ve read Denver is happy with his progression. Whether their that happy, I guess we`ll find out. I think Ayers is walking thin line but don`t expect release till close to final cut unless he impresses in camp. Britt? Have to say I agree with Walker. Wouldn`t waste my time. Nicks though, with a "prove it" contract would be intriguing. Any of the safetys I would def be on board with. If Denver is able to address S and Lb in FA, it would allow Denver to look at De, G, Db or BBA in draft. Even if Denver did sign D`Quell I still wouldn`t mind Shazier signing either ( cause I think he`s going to rock. Prob will be gone by rd 19-24 though) but Tuitt prob be better need at 31. Goona be fun come March 11. Not just with Denver but rest of league too.

 

[xBxtxDx]

I like your all's ideas about picking up players, but I think you are getting a little ahead of yourselves on how much money you are throwing around. Almost every one of the players CDum threw out there that are FA's from other teams are in the over $6 mil club (Byrd just turned down a 3 yr, $30 mil contract). I know it is a lot of fun to speculate, but if we picked up say DRC, Byrd, and Houston, you are talking about eating up around $25-30 mil in cap space and leaving a hole or two that would still need to be filled in WR, MLB, and OL Depth with not much space to fill it with. Plus, in making that room, you are leaving more holes on the roster in OL, CB, and TE that would also need to be filled.

I would like to see them make 1 or 2 splashes and then go for value FA's such as Angerer for MLB. He is another MLB that was hurt in a scheme change. Another is to try to pry Wayne from Indy for that #2 WR. Manning is already familiar with him and the learning curve for Wayne would be small as compared to someone else, that is if he recovers from the knee injury.

Unlike others, I do not see the need to pick up a 3 down MLB. A MLB is generally not that great in coverage and ones that are great in coverage and in run support are few and far between, so he generally comes off of the field in nickel and dime packages, which in today's NFL is a lot of the packages that they are going to see. So, paying for an upper tier MLB that would be payed above $6M is a waste when he probably is only going to see 30-50% of the defensive snaps. That is also the exact reason that I hope they retain WW. Due to last year, his numbers were down and we could possibly get him for a cheaper price than we would have.

 

[cdumler7]

xBxtxDx you are right there is very little chance that we could get all the guys I listed. Most likely the Broncos will have to do some bargain shopping. The Broncos seem to have developed a pattern of signing one long term player (that is not our own) and then the rest being on 1-2 year deals. I do disagree with you on the 3-down MLB. I agree Woodyard could come cheaper but to me I would rather just put the money we would pay him into an actual 3-down MLB and have a guy that can actually stay on the field. Usually in Nickel you have 2 linebackers on the field. Obviously one will be Trev and we don't have another. Why pay Woodyard like $3 million a year and another MLB $3 million a year when you could just go get a guy like Smith who is very familiar with Del Rio and pay him $6 million? This then also frees us up to continue to develop somebody behind him either one of our own guys like Irving or draft one in the mid-late rounds of the draft. Honestly if there is one position I would like to see them spend some money on it would be the MLB spot and get a guy that we can count on being on the field almost every snap of the game. We haven't had that in years. Also a top tier MLB isn't really that expensive compared to our other positions of need.


Now at safety yes I would love to see us bring in Ward or Byrd. Ward makes more sense as we need a SS more than a FS depending on the return of Moore. Plus SS is usually the cheaper of the two positions with the top guy in the league only making around $7 million right now in Chancellor. So let's say we get Ward and Smith that is $13 million that gives us two great players. You cut Champ and that is about what you get plus obviously just a bit more. You cut a couple of other guys like Kuper (just transfer his money honestly to another LG like Geoff Shwartz (probably won't even command as much as we owe Kuper), Dressen, and maybe even Tamme. So even after those two big signings and the LG hole filled we have only spent $17 million to upgrade three major holes on our team. That would still leave us with $21.5 million to spend on FA/Draft. Most likely $7 million goes to DRC so that takes us to $14.5 million. Say sign a middle tier WR as I think some will be willing to come to Denver a little cheaper knowing Manning will give them the most exposure and chance at success and sign one for $4 million. So then we are at $10.5 million. Now remember this is just if the Broncos pay each of these guys the straight money instead of maybe backloading a deal or two. The best teams in the league know how to work the Cap so a guy like Ward instead of actually counting $7 million against the cap maybe is only $3 million. The Broncos do have the great luxury of knowing in a year or two around $20 million in Cap Space opens up from Manning coming off the books. Throw in knowing the Cap is going to go up to around $150 million in just the next 2 years. So that gives you another $17 million to work with to be able to sign our own long term guys like D. Thomas, Miller, and others.

 

[Miked383]

A few things I have liked about Elway since he as come on board is that he has been very smart with player contracts, only giving out high dollar deals to proven and reliable guys (Manning and Vasquez). He picks up other guys that have a lot to prove on shorter deals (prove it deals) if you will. He also has been very smart with the cap by not overloading signing bonuses and keeping the guarantees in salaries so they are counted that year. A lot of teams get themselves into trouble by front-loading deals with high signing bonuses making the cap $ much higher in later years (look at the Cowboys).

Looking forward to 2015 the Broncos have a ton of players free agents (Von, DT, Welker, ) But in terms of players under contract now for 2015 their cap is at about $66 million, leaving around $74 million to resign players, they are in really good shape to resign guys next year.

 

[xBxtxDx]

First, I have been reading that they are going to try to solve the LG problem internally by moving Big O to LG and moving Clark out to RT with Painter being the swing OT vice Clark. I like this idea as all of the starting lineman already know the system and it gives them a year more to work together. Plus, it would put Clark on Vasquez's side, who I think would help Clark a lot more than Beadles did last year. This means that we have to put less money into trying to fix the vacancy left by Beadles if this is the route we go and just need to pick up a backup that can play OC/OG. Though even then, Garland is supposedly progessing rapidly at OG, so pick up let us say, JD Walton on the cheap as a backup center and draft another prospect.

 

[cdumler7]

First, I have been reading that they are going to try to solve the LG problem internally by moving Big O to LG and moving Clark out to RT with Painter being the swing OT vice Clark. I like this idea as all of the starting lineman already know the system and it gives them a year more to work together. Plus, it would put Clark on Vasquez's side, who I think would help Clark a lot more than Beadles did last year. This means that we have to put less money into trying to fix the vacancy left by Beadles if this is the route we go and just need to pick up a backup that can play OC/OG. Though even then, Garland is supposedly progessing rapidly at OG, so pick up let us say, JD Walton on the cheap as a backup center and draft another prospect.

From what I understand the Broncos have tried the whole Franklin to Guard thing and it did not go well and by that I mean he really tanked at the position. He doesn't have the foot speed to be able to pull which in the way we run our offense the LG especially has to be able to pull. He also graded out as a top 5 RT in the NFL this past season so not sure moving him is in our best interest. Now I wouldn't mind finding an in house replacement like that of Painter or Clark and seeing what they can do at the position.

 

[xBxtxDx]

From what I understand the Broncos have tried the whole Franklin to Guard thing and it did not go well and by that I mean he really tanked at the position. He doesn't have the foot speed to be able to pull which in the way we run our offense the LG especially has to be able to pull. He also graded out as a top 5 RT in the NFL this past season so not sure moving him is in our best interest. Now I wouldn't mind finding an in house replacement like that of Painter or Clark and seeing what they can do at the position.

I have never heard this before, interesting.

 

[xBxtxDx]

Oh and something else interesting:


This just speaks of another veteran value signing with a prove it contract if it does happen. If this does happen, I can see them signing WW back.

 

[xBxtxDx]

Oh and speaking of MLB, yes CD, I would love that too. It is just finding a LB with the intelligence, athleticism, and size to be a 3 down MLB in today's NFL is a rare commodity. Usually you find someone with two of the traits, but not all 3. Which is why I am for a platoon system until you do. Oh and Smith is supposedly on top of Baltimore's list to re-sign last I heard, but we shall see.

 

[WalkerBoh]

I have never heard this before, interesting.

I actually read that too, that the experiment putting Franklin at guard failed when they tried it in practice. If I find the link, I'll post, since I'm not sure where I read it yet....

 

[cdumler7]

Oh and speaking of MLB, yes CD, I would love that too. It is just finding a LB with the intelligence, athleticism, and size to be a 3 down MLB in today's NFL is a rare commodity. Usually you find someone with two of the traits, but not all 3. Which is why I am for a platoon system until you do. Oh and Smith is supposedly on top of Baltimore's list to re-sign last I heard, but we shall see.

Doesn't surprise me that he does after the season he just had. The guy is one of the few that is a 3-down player. Jackson I think could be that for us just at a lesser level. Tatupu is an interesting choice. He is actually only 31 and when he was playing was a top 5 guy. If the injuries are in his past then this could be one of those great under the radar signings.

On Franklin I have read from a few writers that last training camp the team tried out Franklin at the guard position and the team just did not look too impressed. He just was having trouble getting around the edge quick enough. Pass blocking he was fine but run blocking he just had very little control. But having said that maybe he just needs some more practice at the position so we shall see. Elway said at the Combine the team already has a plan in place in case Beadles does not resign with the team so to me that sounds like an in house idea.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Doesn't surprise me that he does after the season he just had. The guy is one of the few that is a 3-down player. Jackson I think could be that for us just at a lesser level. Tatupu is an interesting choice. He is actually only 31 and when he was playing was a top 5 guy. If the injuries are in his past then this could be one of those great under the radar signings.

On Franklin I have read from a few writers that last training camp the team tried out Franklin at the guard position and the team just did not look too impressed. He just was having trouble getting around the edge quick enough. Pass blocking he was fine but run blocking he just had very little control. But having said that maybe he just needs some more practice at the position so we shall see. Elway said at the Combine the team already has a plan in place in case Beadles does not resign with the team so to me that sounds like an in house idea.

I have my doubts that Tatupu is worth much at this point. Out of the NFL for 3 seasons doesn't give me too much confidence in his ability to contribute.

 

[cdumler7]

I have my doubts that Tatupu is worth much at this point. Out of the NFL for 3 seasons doesn't give me too much confidence in his ability to contribute.

I have my doubts as well. My guess is if the Broncos signed him then they would use a top 3 draft pick on the position to start grooming his replacement plus add competition to the position in hopes Tatupu could hold up for a year if needed.

I view this mostly as the Broncos just doing their due diligence in making sure they don't miss an opportunity with one of those hidden gems that you just wouldn't expect. Look at last year with Knighton and Phillips. Both were unwanted by their teams yet came to Denver and thrived. So who knows with Tatupu. I would rather have a more proven guy that hasn't missed 3 years but for a low cost low risk move I wouldn't mind Tatupu.

 

[xBxtxDx]

I have my doubts that Tatupu is worth much at this point. Out of the NFL for 3 seasons doesn't give me too much confidence in his ability to contribute.

Maybe, but can he be any worse than Paris Lenon? He had the ability to be the 3 down MLB, if he can just man it in base, I would take it in a heartbeat.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Maybe, but can he be any worse than Paris Lenon? He had the ability to be the 3 down MLB, if he can just man it in base, I would take it in a heartbeat.

After a three-year layoff, multiple pectoral tears, and numerous knee injuries and concussions, I'd say it's a distinct possibility.

I mean, it's great that Denver is literally leaving no stone unturned, but I think Lofa as a productive starting member of the Broncos is a serious longshot.