Broncos Free Agency Thread

[grizmo78]

3 minutes ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Yeah I’ll take it. However, the Bears are my second team so I’d prefer Paton to fleece someone else in the same range. 

Doubling down on the blue and orange huh??

[AnAngryAmerican]

4 hours ago, UnitedInOrgange said:

I can see their point though.  Why waste the money on bringing in the FA if we are not going to win now?  Cause Lock is not going to take this team to the playoffs.  I am hoping with all these signings, we were going after Watson, but now with his issues I don't know.  

If it was me making the decisions, I would not be relying on Lock to improve this year.  I would of signed Simmons to a long contract and depth at other positions, but wouldn't of brought back Jackson or signed Darby.  I would of filled my needs in the draft and then waited till next year to get my QB.  I mean why bring Jackson back on a 1 year deal if you didn't think you were going to try to win this year?  Why not just bring in a younger guy to gain experience?  Even if Lock does improve Denver can't be expecting him to get them too far.  They may luck out by squeaking into the playoffs, but I don't see them getting past first round.  What does that get us?  A low pick in the draft.  I rather just play with what we have and then get a high pick next year and try to grab a QB.  I guess that is why I am not the GM.  I have my fingers crossed that everything works out.  

Having said that I do think Paton is doing a good job and excited to see what he can do over the next few years. 

I’ve said it before around here but it bears repeating. Paton is playing the long game.

I think Drew is worth giving another shot, the physical talent is there, the “want to” is there, he’s been injured both years, got a new OC with a new scheme, had no offseason, lost his #1 WR and had a ton of rookies/2nd year players all across the offense. Signing a veteran journeyman does nothing but muddy the waters, create a media-induced distraction and give Vic - who is coaching for his job - an easy out to go with the safe, boring, unspectacular vet. 

Furthermore, you don’t want to use 1.9 or 1.9+ to draft/move up for a QB this year that, if (when) we change coaching staffs (and owners) this upcoming winter, the new staff is married to the rookie QB. That would limit the pool of potential coaches. 

Paton will almost certainly trade down from 1.9, acquire a future premium pick, which will help us acquire a proven stud vet (Watson, Wilson) or have ammo to move up next year if need be to get the rookie QB that our new HC/OC prefers. Or, if Drew turns the corner this year, we have even more ammo to add talent around him. 

It doesn’t make radio shock jocks Twitter stars to have a “boring” offseason but Paton is building the franchise to be good from 2022-2030+, not to win 8 or 9 games and sniff a wild card spot in 2021. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by AnAngryAmerican

[AnAngryAmerican]

9 minutes ago, grizmo78 said:

Doubling down on the blue and orange huh??

Haha yup! Lol, my parents are from Chicagoland and a lot of my relatives live there. Growing up (I’m 38), all we had was the Broncos and Nuggets so in my formative years we watched Jordan’s Bulls, the Cubs and Hawks until the early and mid 90s so I have a soft spot for all the Chicago teams, Bears included even though for much of my life they’ve never been any good. 

[Broncofan]

58 minutes ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Yeah I’ll take it. However, the Bears are my second team so I’d prefer Paton to fleece someone else in the same range. 

I kind of look at that like vanishing twins in pregnancy - sometimes one twin has to be sacrificed to let the other thrive.  Of course, I could care less about your Windy City twin, too.   

Edited March 23, 2021 by Broncofan

[paul-mac]

I wonder if there is any chance we could bring back some of our unsigned UFA’s to minimum salary deals to compete for roster spots as a backup.

 

I would say that De’Vante Bausby, Will Parks and Austin Calitro could all make the team as a minimum 

[broncos67]

7 minutes ago, paul-mac said:

I wonder if there is any chance we could bring back some of our unsigned UFA’s to minimum salary deals to compete for roster spots as a backup.

 

I would say that De’Vante Bausby, Will Parks and Austin Calitro could all make the team as a minimum 

Wouldn't shock me if Parks is back. Maybe Calitro. I doubt Bausby is back, in part because I still expect an early pick at CB, leaving us with- Fuller, Darby, Callahan, Ojemudia, Bassey, Rookie. Not sure there's any room for him, though he did play better than expected when given the chance.

[paul-mac]

15 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

Wouldn't shock me if Parks is back. Maybe Calitro. I doubt Bausby is back, in part because I still expect an early pick at CB, leaving us with- Fuller, Darby, Callahan, Ojemudia, Bassey, Rookie. Not sure there's any room for him, though he did play better than expected when given the chance.

I was just combing through our roster and team needs for the draft and I don’t see CB as being somewhere an early pick will go. Fuller, Darby and Callahan are your three starters and although Darby is likely the only one here past 2021, I think the long term goal is to grow Ojemudia and Bassey into starting outside and nickel corners respectively. We also have another young guy in Nate Hairston who has extensive playing experience in Indy. I think CB depth is more of a late round/UDFA need.

 

I’d look at QB and ILB as the most likely targets with the early picks and probably future starters at SS and RB where we have contract year starters and no real viable young guy to take over from them in mid rounds.

 

In the later rounds we could use depth at OT, TE, DL, EDGE and CB

[Broncofan]

1 hour ago, broncos67 said:

Wouldn't shock me if Parks is back. Maybe Calitro. I doubt Bausby is back, in part because I still expect an early pick at CB, leaving us with- Fuller, Darby, Callahan, Ojemudia, Bassey, Rookie. Not sure there's any room for him, though he did play better than expected when given the chance.

 

1 hour ago, paul-mac said:

I was just combing through our roster and team needs for the draft and I don’t see CB as being somewhere an early pick will go. Fuller, Darby and Callahan are your three starters and although Darby is likely the only one here past 2021, I think the long term goal is to grow Ojemudia and Bassey into starting outside and nickel corners respectively. We also have another young guy in Nate Hairston who has extensive playing experience in Indy. I think CB depth is more of a late round/UDFA need.

 

I’d look at QB and ILB as the most likely targets with the early picks and probably future starters at SS and RB where we have contract year starters and no real viable young guy to take over from them in mid rounds.

 

In the later rounds we could use depth at OT, TE, DL, EDGE and CB

FWIW I do think Bausby sticks with us - as the league has gone to more nickel & dime formations, our roster has had 6 CB's at minimum - but keep in mind the Covid-19 practice squad list (from which you could poach several guys a week) had at least 2 CB's on it this year.   Now, maybe Bausby doesn't clear waivers - and he latches on to another team.  But I think he'll stay, especially if it's a developmental CB that's brought in.   It looks like the team should be able to keep at least 7-8 CB's on the 53-man roster and 12-man PS. 

The other change from 2020's CBA that ppl may have missed with Covid-19 - active roster expanded from 46 to 48 (but 1 of those 2 new spots must be OL), and the increase from 10 to 12 PS players (and to 14 in 2022).    Even if there's not expanded rosters from Covid-19 next year (and I think it's unlikely at the rate of vaccination uptake in the US), then the path to keep more guys on the team is clearly there for 2021-2.

[BroncosFan2010]

I hope we bring Bausby back. He is a excellent depth boundary CB. Like, much better than most. This CB depth is pretty great:

CB1 - Kyle Fuller / Michael Ojemudia

CB2 - Ronald Darby / De'Vante Bausby

SLOT - Bryce Callahan / Essang Bassey / Draft Pick

I think we can wait until later and target a slot only guy. We have surprising depth on the outside, but then again Fuller may be a quick date. 

[Dbrog24]

17 hours ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

I’ve said it before around here but it bears repeating. Paton is playing the long game.

Paton will almost certainly trade down from 1.9, acquire a future premium pick, which will help us acquire a proven stud vet (Watson, Wilson) or have ammo to move up next year if need be to get the rookie QB that our new HC/OC prefers. Or, if Drew turns the corner this year, we have even more ammo to add talent around him. 

Completely agree and to add to evidence that could suggest this plan, I don't think it's a coincidence he's doing 1 year deals with a lot of our pieces. It almost certainly points to the unknowns involved with new management. Paton is setting himself up to be able to provide whatever they urge him to do which I think is good for the Broncos, but maybe more importantly for him, his job security. 

[Broncofan]

12 minutes ago, Dbrog24 said:

Completely agree and to add to evidence that could suggest this plan, I don't think it's a coincidence he's doing 1 year deals with a lot of our pieces. It almost certainly points to the unknowns involved with new management. Paton is setting himself up to be able to provide whatever they urge him to do which I think is good for the Broncos, but maybe more importantly for him, his job security. 

Re: 1-year deals - it’s not just Paton’s plan.    The salary cap increase next year is going to massive with the TV money and no longer needing to recoup the lost stadium revenue from 2020 - at LEAST 40M for each team.   And likely more.   FA’s who aren’t top tier can’t get paid this year for long term deals are likely taking the 1-year deals and betting on themselves to  get paid next year.    Fuller apparently turned down a multi-year offer for this reason. 
 

Don’t get me wrong Paton has been great in finding value for his FA signings so far.   But the 1-year deals are very much a conscious direction on the players’ part this offseason, so they can re-enter the market next year when the available FA $ will be insane.  

Edited March 24, 2021 by Broncofan

[broncosfan_101]

17 hours ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

I’ve said it before around here but it bears repeating. Paton is playing the long game.

I think Drew is worth giving another shot, the physical talent is there, the “want to” is there, he’s been injured both years, got a new OC with a new scheme, had no offseason, lost his #1 WR and had a ton of rookies/2nd year players all across the offense. Signing a veteran journeyman does nothing but muddy the waters, create a media-induced distraction and give Vic - who is coaching for his job - an easy out to go with the safe, boring, unspectacular vet. 

Furthermore, you don’t want to use 1.9 or 1.9+ to draft/move up for a QB this year that, if (when) we change coaching staffs (and owners) this upcoming winter, the new staff is married to the rookie QB. That would limit the pool of potential coaches. 

Paton will almost certainly trade down from 1.9, acquire a future premium pick, which will help us acquire a proven stud vet (Watson, Wilson) or have ammo to move up next year if need be to get the rookie QB that our new HC/OC prefers. Or, if Drew turns the corner this year, we have even more ammo to add talent around him. 

It doesn’t make radio shock jocks Twitter stars to have a “boring” offseason but Paton is building the franchise to be good from 2022-2030+, not to win 8 or 9 games and sniff a wild card spot in 2021. 

So the big problem with this, and I’ve gone back and forth a hundred times as to which path I’d endorse, is that this draft is very clearly the best chance we’ll have to take a franchise QB in the near future. The floor for the team as is, with the talent level and the schedule, is 6-7 wins. In what should be a weaker QB draft, are you gonna get your guy with the 14th pick? No. So now the plan is to convince a Wilson or Rodgers to come here? With a new head coach? Coming off a sub-.500 season?? It’s a gigantic risk. 
 

Just spitballing here, but what if you make the move for Trey Lance, sit him for a year, and Drew Lock makes the leap? You’ll still have Lock for two more cheap years, you’ll have a QB prospect who could easily be QB1 in next year’s draft that teams would still give you big time picks for...it’s the beauty of Paton’s offseason, that he’s built a roster without any other obvious short term holes. He could make this sort of huge bet for a future asset without handicapping the current roster all that much. 

[thebestever6]

17 hours ago, Broncofan said:

I kind of look at that like vanishing twins in pregnancy - sometimes one twin has to be sacrificed to let the other thrive.  Of course, I could care less about your Windy City twin, too.   

Nah being a bears fan is like watching your dad get his *** beat in front of you lol .

[bMiller031]

1 hour ago, broncosfan_101 said:

So the big problem with this, and I’ve gone back and forth a hundred times as to which path I’d endorse, is that this draft is very clearly the best chance we’ll have to take a franchise QB in the near future. The floor for the team as is, with the talent level and the schedule, is 6-7 wins. In what should be a weaker QB draft, are you gonna get your guy with the 14th pick? No. So now the plan is to convince a Wilson or Rodgers to come here? With a new head coach? Coming off a sub-.500 season?? It’s a gigantic risk. 
 

Just spitballing here, but what if you make the move for Trey Lance, sit him for a year, and Drew Lock makes the leap? You’ll still have Lock for two more cheap years, you’ll have a QB prospect who could easily be QB1 in next year’s draft that teams would still give you big time picks for...it’s the beauty of Paton’s offseason, that he’s built a roster without any other obvious short term holes. He could make this sort of huge bet for a future asset without handicapping the current roster all that much. 

I find this point compelling. In the (not unlikely) event that both a) We don't get Watson via trade and b) Lock doesn't make the leap - we are in an even tougher spot at QB.  Watson is the only no-brainer "do it if you can" option but otherwise we're left with several imperfect alternatives. 

[The Helicopter]

2 hours ago, bMiller031 said:

I find this point compelling. In the (not unlikely) event that both a) We don't get Watson via trade and b) Lock doesn't make the leap - we are in an even tougher spot at QB.  Watson is the only no-brainer "do it if you can" option but otherwise we're left with several imperfect alternatives. 

There's no logical reason for Paton to risk his job with a QB draft pick this year. Lock is tied to Elway. New ownership/coaching will want their QB choice so why not provide everyone the opportunity to succeed...or fail.