The first four days of the 2016 NFL free agency period are in the books and in that time the Denver Broncos have made just three moves to solidify their roster. John Elway has bolstered the offensive line, added a backup quarterback and restructured one of his top edge rushers to free up more money elsewhere.
Compared to years past, it has been a relatively quiet start, especially considering that Denver still has numerous unrestricted free agents (not including those that have already signed elsewhere) from his Super Bowl-winning roster who have not yet been retained – seven on offense and four on defense.
Elway has watched as two starters from his Super Bowl defense have signed with other teams and lost his quarterback-in-waiting to the Texans, while his No. 1 running back awaits a matching offer from the Broncos to keep him in Denver.
It was a tough first 96 hours for Elway, who has historically won the early parts of the free agency (see 2014, when he signed Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and DeMarcus Ware), but he did have some wins.
In this week’s edition of “Studs & Duds” we look at Elway’s best and worst moves through the first four days of 2016 free agency.
Dud Move No. 3 – Letting Danny Trevathan Walk
News began surfacing on Tuesday before free agency began that Trevathan was close to finalizing a deal with Chicago. Knowing what we know now – that Denver wasn’t going to match Malik Jackson‘s offer from Jacksonville and Brock Osweiler hadn’t been returning phone calls for more than a week, the Broncos should have put the full-court press on Trevathan.
His deal came in at an average of just over $6 million a year for four years with $12 million guaranteed. Denver absolutely had the money to make this deal happen, which would have kept one of the best ILB duos, Trevathan and Brandon Marshall, intact for at least another year (Marshall, a RFA has a second-round tender on him that isn’t drawing much attention at present).
Trevathan had some injury issues in 2014, but he’s been first or second on the team in tackles in the two years he saw full-time starter reps and he’s excellent in coverage. His 105 tackles in 2013 were the first time since 2008 that a Bronco eclipsed the century mark.
Stud Move No. 3 – Letting Malik Jackson Walk
John Elway needed to look no further than his other defensive end to see that the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to overpay Malik Jackson. Elway inked Derek Wolfe to a four-year extension in January, dishing out $36.7 million with $17.5 million guaranteed. Two months later, Jackson took Jacksonville for what could be a $90 million total-value contract, with $42 million guaranteed for six years.
Elway got a shorter term and less total money than Jacksonville guaranteed, all for a player who has been more productive and consistent. Wolfe has played and started 55 games, logging 17 sacks and 99 tackles. Jackson came on as a starter in 2016, has more tackles (108) but less sacks (14.5) in 62 games (24 starts).
Jackson was part of a world-class line with Wolfe, Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Elway avoided overpaying and will find another piece who can provide similar contributions this year and down the road.
Dud Move No. 2 – Undervaluing C.J. Anderson
Anderson is a restricted free agent, and as an undrafted player Elway chose to make him a low-round tender, which means other teams vying for his services won’t have to give up a draft pick if they sign him away.
Miami saw enough of Anderson during his Pro Bowl season in 2014 and his efforts late in 2015 to make him a four-year offer worth $18 million over four years (with $6.95 million guaranteed over the first two years). Denver can match the offer, but $5.25 million of the guaranteed money has to be paid by the end of this month.
Elway could have put the same second-round tender on Anderson as he used on Marshall, which would have cost just $882,000 more in salary next year and likely would have scared off suitors (or at least landed Denver another pick).
Anderson has been inconsistent at times, which might be the cause of Elway’s low offer, but at the end of the year, he was the only ball carrier in the Denver backfield going “kicking and screaming” as expected by his boss.
Stud Move No. 2 – Playing the Leverage Game
Elway knew before anyone in Denver that he was going to be shopping for a new quarterback in 2016. While everyone else was afraid that the agency representing both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brock Osweiler was going to leverage one against the other, Elway was well aware that Osweiler was out the door and started setting up his own leveraging game.
Elway brought in Mark Sanchez, a middle-of-the-road starter, to “compete” for his quarterback position, while Fitzpatrick remains unsigned. Elway didn’t want to pay even midrange price for Osweiler or Fitzpatrick, and now the journeyman’s stock is falling with each day he goes unsigned.
The Broncos also now have 10 picks in the 2016 draft, meaning they could make moves to slide up and grab a quarterback, as well. Elway wants to dictate the market if he’s going to have to “settle” for an average and/or inexperienced quarterback and he’s so far doing that.
Dud Move No. 1 – Having No Plan C
Peyton Manning was “Plan A;” everyone eventually came around to believing that there was no “Plan B” because Brock Osweiler was the next “Plan A.” Now it looks John Elway didn’t really have a “Plan C,” either.
After being spurned by Osweiler, Elway didn’t offer any ringing endorsements of the only quarterback on his roster, Trevor Siemian. Instead he added an average (at best) starter in Mark Sanchez and immediately said Sanchez “would compete” and was just the first step in a “process.” (Translation: He’ll be a backup unless we can’t find anyone better.)
No one expected that Denver would have the second-worst total quarterback performance in the league last year, but with the options still on the table – subpar free agents/trades, or finding a QB in the draft – it looks like it could be another year where the defense has to carry the offense. At least they won’t overpay for another bad year.
Stud Move No. 1 – Restructuring DeMarcus Ware
Considering the rocky start John Elway had to the first two days of free agency, having only added offensive lineman Donald Stephenson and made a ho-hum trade for Mark Sanchez, Broncos fans were wondering when Elway was finally going to score a big win. It came Saturday with news he’d restructured DeMarcus Ware on an incredibly team-friendly deal.
Ware was the team’s defensive captain and the heart and soul of a team that defied the odds all season long on the way to a Super Bowl win. He was due $11.6 million this year, a number that was going to significantly impact Denver’s ability to re-sign the 10-plus free agents still awaiting contracts, not to mention bring in new bodies.
The new deal is incentive-laden, with only $6.5 million in base salary and $4 million guaranteed. It gives Elway extra cash to work on those free agents, not to mention a long-term deal with Von Miller. Most importantly, it keeps the clubhouse leader in orange and blue.
