With Ryan Harris now in Pittsburgh and with Ryan Clady and Ty Sambrailo coming off serious, season-ending injuries, the Denver Broncos are in need of some help on the offensive line, particularly at tackle.
According to Mike Garafolo, John Elway may have someone in mind.
OT Russell Okung expected to visit Broncos, source says. Denver looking to bolster OL after losing Ryan Harris. Clady situation fluid too.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 16, 2016
Okung, a former Pro Bowler and top-10 pick, has spent his first six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, but he’s been playing the field this offseason, looking for a franchise that will respect Okung’s “worth.”
Unlike most free agents, though, Okung is representing himself in contract negotiations, because, as he says, “I know my worth.”
In fact, Okung took to The Player’s Tribune to explain exactly why he’d be representing himself this offseason:
“I know my worth. I can look at the market and go directly to a team without an agent and tell that team my worth. And I can do so with confidence because I’ve done my research, I’ve educated myself and I’ve questioned the answers I’ve been given. And when it comes to reviewing the details of my next deal, I’ll hire an expert — a lawyer or a sports attorney who understands the dynamic of football contracts — to read the paperwork. I’ll negotiate a one-time flat fee that isn’t dependent on the size of my salary.
You see, there’s a new sort of athlete, and he’ not just an athlete. He’s a businessman and a living brand, a la Magic Johnson or LeBron James. He’s a player who represents himself because he not only understands the market and his own personal value, but has the self-assurance and financial know-how to do so, too.
Every athlete has the ability to be free of his or her agent. It all comes down to being willing to bet on yourself.”
Okung actually began his role as self-appointed agent last season following his season-ending shoulder surgery, where he sent an email out to every franchise in the NFL to give them an update on his health. In the email, he said that’s surgery would have a five-month recover period, giving Okung plenty of time to get back into shape for the start of the season.
The only issue, given that he was still under contract with the Seahawks at the time, was that any contact with a player by an organization could be considered tampering.
It’s hard to imagine, though, that the Broncos would be able to afford Okung. According to Pro Football Talk, he’s looking to be paid between $11-13 million a year. John Elway signing an injury-prone tackle to that kind of money would be much, much more surprising than matching C.J. Anderson‘s offer sheet from the Miami Dolphins.
We’ll see …