Jahri Evans
Age: 32
Rank on NFL.com Top 99 list: 68
Past contract: 3 years, $18 million, reworked in 2015; $7.1 million last year with the New Orleans Saints; cut February 8, 2016
Career Accomplishments: 6-time Pro Bowler; 4-time First-team All-Pro; 1-time Second-team All-Pro
Since being drafted in the fourth round in 2006 by the New Orleans Saints, Jahri Evans started and played in 153 out of 160 potential games at right guard for the Saints. Evans is one of the best players in Saints history and was a core member of the 2009 Super Bowl team.
The Saints cut Evans earlier this year after he refused to take a pay cut for the second year in a row. In 2010 Evans became the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history, signing a 7-year, $56.7 million contract. Evans has been a top guard in the league and would be an instant starter with the Broncos.
Evans could be in a very similar situation as former Bronco guard Evan Mathis was last year. Mathis was cut by the Eagles last year, and signed a one-year, $3.2 million deal with the Broncos. Since the Broncos lost both starting guards this offseason, Denver could use a top veteran guard in the league.
If Evans was interested in taking a deal for just a few million dollars a year, like Mathis did last year, the Broncos would love to add Evans to this newly built offensive line. This would allow Ty Sambrailo and Max Garcia to battle it out for the left guard position, while having the other as a quality backup in case of injury.
