There’s clearly a faction of Broncos Country that would very much like to see Demaryius Thomas work his way out of town, but unfortunately for them, that’s not happening. Like it or not, DT will be a Denver Bronco for the next two years, at least, until his dead-cap hit drops to just $4.4 million in 2018.
So until that time, it’s probably best if we all just try to forgive and forget. I mean, given the championship ring on his finger, I don’t think it should be too hard. And really, how angry can we get about a 105-catch, 1,300-yard, six-touchdown season? Drops or not, if that’s DT’s floor, I think we’re doing alright.
Now, that doesn’t give him full immunity; his playoff disappearance leaves a disappointing taste in even his most ardent supporters’ mouths. Without question, he has to be better next season, more consistent.
Luckily, the Broncos have a pretty darn good receiver on the other side of the field in Emmanuel Sanders to pick up the slack. A fan favorite, Sanders has proven himself to be one of the best No. 2 options in the NFL over the last two seasons, and I expect him to continue to be just that in 2016.
The question the Broncos and John Elway really have to answer is: Who’s their third option?
My guess is that it was supposed to be Cody Latimer, and maybe it still will be, but he’s got a lot to prove; he’s anything but a sure thing. Maybe it’ll be Taylor Jordan, Peyton Manning‘s favorite practice squad buddy.
Or maybe that player isn’t on the roster right now.
The Broncos probably won’t have many resources to devote towards the offense in free agency this season, but if they do open their wallets, these five wideouts could make sense:
5. Jermaine Kearse
Jermaine Kearse isn’t going to light the world on fire, he’s not going to blow past anybody, and he’s rarely going to win you a game on his own, but he’s a football player, through and through.
Undrafted out of Washington, Kearse has worked for everything he’s earned, which includes a Super Bowl championship.
And while he may have never been more than a No. 2 option on a run-first offense, he’s continued to improve each and every year, increasing both his receptions and yards every season.
2012: 3 receptions; 31 yards; 0 touchdowns
2013: 22 receptions; 346 yards; 4 touchdowns
2014: 38 receptions; 537 yards; 1 touchdowns
2012: 49 receptions; 685 yards; 5 touchdowns
Is he a star? No. Should he be the No. 2 option on a top-10 offense? Probably not. But as a third receiver, in a role like Andre Caldwell‘s or Cody Latimer’s, he’s about all you could ask for.
The question, though, is whether you can get him at a price that makes sense.
According to Spotrac, Kearse’s market value is roughly $4.7 million a year, which is about equivalent to the contract that Riley Cooper received from the Philadelphia Eagles.
That may be a bit much for a wideout who’ll only really see the field when Thomas or Sanders are on the bench; he’s not your prototypical slot receiver at 6-foot-1, 212 pounds. If he’s willing to come down, though, maybe the Broncos will talk.
4. Reuben Randle
Reuben Randle is that guy that pops off the screen three to four times a year, making you say, “Why isn’t he great?” He’s that guy that builds up expectations and builds up expectations and then … he’s just okay.
But that’s not doing Randle justice. Maybe he’s not the sum of all his talents, but he’s a good receiver, if not very good. All you have to do is look at his last two seasons to understand how valuable he’s been to the Giants’ offense, even when he’s been overshadowed by Odell Beckham Jr.
2014: 71 receptions; 938 yards; 3 touchdowns
2015: 57 receptions; 797 yards; 8 touchdowns
That’s pretty good for a No. 2 option. And here’s the important thing to remember about Rueben Randle: He’s 24!
I know he’s been in the league for four years, and I know he seems to pretty much be who he is at this point, but there’s still plenty of time to mold this guy’s natural ability into something impactful, which it’s already been.
Again, though, the Broncos would be facing the same dilemma they’d face with Kearse: Is a third outside receiver really worth whatever he’s going to go for? At 6-foot-4, I have a hard time believing Randle’s going to be lining up in the slot any time soon, and that’s really not a role Sanders or DT play in, either.
That said, if the Broncos want to get creative, it may be worth a shot.
3. Marvin Jones
Want a wide receiver this offseason, well look for someone in orange and black strips, because the Bengals are losing a ton of them!
Aside from A.J. Green, Cincinnati has three of their top four wideouts — Mohamed Sanu, Marvin Jones and Brandon Tate — hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason. But if the Broncos are going to make a run at any of them, it should be Jones, who could have even more upside than a guy like Reuben Randle.
After a breakout campaign in 2013, where he caught 51 balls for 712 receptions and 10 touchdowns, Jones’ rise to stardom hit a major speed bump when he missed the entire 2014 season with an ankle injury. Last year, he bounced right back — and then some.
Riding a resurgent Bengals offense, Jones finished the season with 65 receptions, 816 yards and four touchdowns.
Spotrac has Jones’ market value at $5.5 million a year, which would make him the 27th-highest-paid wideout in the NFL (on average), right between Eddie Royal and Amari Cooper. If the Broncos really wanted to give Brock Osweiler (or whomever ends up starting under center) the weapons he needed to succeed, Jones could give the Broncos three quality options at wideout.
Of course, this would only make sense if Elway, Kubiak and company had given up on Latimer. But if it’s time to cut bait, this would be a good reason to do it.
2. Travis Benjamin
If there’s one free agent wideout that could slide into the Broncos’ offense and make an immediate impact, it’s Travis Benjamin, who could take over in the slot-receiver role Denver has lacked since the departure of Wes Welker.
Honestly, the only reason he’s not No. 1 on this list is because he’s probably going to cost more than the Broncos are willing to spend; spotrac has his market value set at $4.3 million, a hefty price for a 5-foot-10 quickster who only really has one year of action under his belt.
But that one year was pretty darn good, especially given the circumstances (*cough Cleveland Browns cough*) he was dealing with:
68 receptions; 966 yards; 5 touchdowns.
On the league’s 21st-ranked passing offense, he was just about the only thing the Browns had going for them; he even managed to make Johnny Manziel look like an NFL quarterback at times.
On the Broncos, Benjamin would provide an element they don’t have: The guy who just runs down the field really, really fast. Of course, Thomas and Sanders are capable of running down the field, too, but it’s not what they’re best at; DT’s size and Sanders route-running ability allow them to succeed on short-to-intermediate routes like not many else can. Add Benjamin into the mix, and suddenly there’s a lot more space for the Broncos’ pass catchers to work.
Maybe Elway can sell Benjamin on the idea of taking less to play on a good team? If anybody is willing to do that, it’s a player coming from the Cleveland Browns.
1. Rishard Matthews
If you don’t know who Rishard Matthews is, I don’t blame you. He’s not exactly a household name, and playing for the Miami Dolphins hasn’t helped.
But trust me when I tell you this: He’s an impact player.
Despite being, at times, Ryan Tannehill‘s third, fourth or fifth option, Matthews finished the season with 43 receptions, 662 yards and four touchdowns, and he only played in 11 games — essentially 10, as he went down with injury early in that 11th game.
Had he played the full regular season, he could have put up numbers more like 63 receptions, 963 yards and six touchdowns.
Like most of the other guys on this list, Matthews spent the majority of his time playing on the outside, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth taking a shot on. Not only could he have one of the highest upsides of this year’s free agent class, but he could end up being one of the best bargains, too.
If Elway’s looking to build for the future, Matthews could end up being a key piece.