Broncos OT Russell Okung has no regrets about his contract

Denver Broncos offensive tackle Russell Okung negotiated his own contract this offseason, and has no regrets about how everything turned out…

Denver Broncos offensive tackle Russell Okung took matters into his own hands this offseason when trying to get a free agent contract from a new team, and a lot of people criticized him for it.

Okung fired his agent and represented himself on the open market, negotiating a very interesting deal with the Broncos that included nothing in guaranteed money. In a time where players are all out for the most guaranteed money possible to get what they can while they can, Okung decided to let the Broncos pay him as he earned his money.

Not many people agreed with his approach, but there’s nothing Okung says he would change about the way things played out this offseason…

“Nothing I would do differently. I think like I said, there is a governance factor there. I don’t think within our CBA that they took into account players that wanted to actually represent themselves. You have actually a dead period where you can’t speak to teams. On the other hand, you have a lot of under the table deals being done and being reported, and not being held accountable for those either. There are a lot of things that need to change in order for guys who want to do it regularly. I think this is a great step.”

When asked flat out if he was happy with the contract he got from the Broncos, Okung simply replied:

“Yes. The best deal in the best place.”

Okung said he didn’t make his decision to self-represent on a whim, either. It was a calculated move and he’s grateful for the opportunity he’s been given by the Broncos.

“I would definitely say that it was a decision I made on my own. I was fully aware of what was going to happen and especially the ramifications that I would kind of run into. A lot of it is perception from you guys as well as a lot of click-bait assumptions. I think for me, I got the best deal I can. I’m so happy to be here and very grateful that the front office would believe in me enough as well as give me the opportunity.”

The way Okung’s deal is set up is essentially for the Broncos to pay as they go, and to re-evaluate their options after this season. If things work out the way they hope, they’ll be able to re-sign Okung to essentially a new four-year contract that is both team and player-friendly. When asked if he felt like he was sort of betting on himself, Okung responded with this:

“No better position for me to be in.”

With players like Okung and defensive lineman Derek Wolfe forsaking more guaranteed money than they could have otherwise gotten given the circumstances, it bodes well for the Broncos to have hard-working players who took what they felt they deserved, and are setting out to earn it.

You can’t fault players like Malik Jackson going out and getting the most guaranteed money possible, but as fans of the team, wouldn’t you rather have guys that were on the roster because they wanted to be versus the alternative?

More from Predominantly Orange

There are a number of players on the Broncos who are underpaid for their production, including star cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who — like Wolfe — re-signed with the team prior to hitting the free agent market. In their eyes, they may have given up some guaranteed money, but if it translates to a championship, what’s the big deal?

That’s why you play the game. Like Derek Wolfe said earlier this offseason, he’s not going home starving at his current pay grade. The same is true of Okung, Harris, and a number of other Broncos players who decided to take fair contracts to help the team put together the best roster possible.

And maybe that’s a reason why people hate the Broncos so much — they and the players are having their cake and eating it too.

Home/Broncos News