Who will be this year’s surprise cut?
The NFL is a cold-hearted league, and unless you have millions of dollars in guarantees left on your contract (and sometimes even then), you’re one misstep from the waiver wire. And that includes veterans, pro bowlers and sometimes even future Hall of Famers.
So which Broncos are in risk of losing their job this offseason?
For me, the easy answer is Ronnie Hillman. Yes, the Broncos just re-signed him a few months ago, but Denver would only owe him $500,000 if he was cut before the season, and that scenario became a lot more likely when John Elway selected Devontae Booker in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. If Booker outperforms Hillman, the Broncos could easily decide to save $1.5 million, cut Hillman and ride with C.J. Anderson, Booker and either Juwan Thompson or Kapri Bibbs (who are significantly cheaper) in the backfield.
If you’re looking for a true surprise cut, though, the answer is Mark Sanchez.
The Broncos are scheduled to pay Sanchez $4.5 million this season, but if he’s let go before the start of the season, they’ll only owe him $1 million, saving them $3.5 million. While it’s a long shot, there’s a way in which it makes sense.
Say that by the end of training camp the three quarterbacks — Sanchez, Lynch and Siemian — are all on relatively equal playing ground. Wouldn’t, at that point, Denver consider rolling the dice with Lynch in Week 1? And if they’re going to turn the keys over to Lynch so early, do they really need to spend $4.5 million on a backup when they can work with Siemian at $500,000? Throw in the $1 million in dead cap that you’d take on from cutting Sanchez, and you’re still saving $3 million.
It’s not likely, but it’d definitely count as a surprise.
