Would Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas Really Take Discount?

NFL free agency 2015 is a scary event right now for the Denver Broncos and their fans, and perhaps the biggest name of the many that are about to hit the market is star receiver Demaryius Thomas. Thomas is in the final year of his rookie contract which he signed in 2010, and the Broncos have reportedly already made him an offer this year that he turned down.

Having to negotiate with Thomas, He publicly stated recently that he would take a hometown discount to stay in Denver.

“Of course, why not?” Thomas asked. “Peyton is one of the best in the game, and I’ve been blessed to have him as my quarterback. I learned so much from him. Denver, of course I gotta take my hats off to them, because they took a chance of drafting me in the first round.”

Of course, the men responsible for drafting Thomas in Denver are gone, but this is a franchise in very good hands with John Elway that wants to keep Thomas if at all possible. They are going to have to break open their piggy bank to keep him around, but if he’s open to a discount, there’s no doubt the Broncos will do what they can to figure that out.

Any discount Thomas gives the Broncos will most certainly come — if at all — in the form of a prorated bonus over the length of his contract that spreads out the guaranteed money. Thomas will definitely be looking to be paid like a top five receiver in the NFL, perhaps even better than that, and it’s hard to argue at this point he doesn’t deserve it.

The question is, will the Broncos pull the trigger on such a move? You need to be really careful who you give big, long-term contracts to in the NFL, even guys who have proven to be as good as Demaryius Thomas. If you sign him to a five or six-year deal, you have to ensure yourself that he’s going to be the type of player at the end of that contract that you want him to be when he first signs it. A long-term deal will keep Thomas in a Broncos uniform for the prime years of his career, and he has the potential to be a dominant force for a long time in this league, not unlike a player like Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson have for their respective teams.

With Thomas open to helping the Broncos out a bit, it could benefit not only the team but other players the Broncos need to keep around. If the Broncos can save some cap space on an extension for Demaryius Thomas, it could allow them more room to negotiate with other star players like Chris Harris Jr., Julius Thomas, and Terrance Knighton.

This is always a tough topic to cover, especially when you get so emotionally attached to players like DT. We’ll see how the next few months play out, but let’s hope John Elway can get something worked out quickly once the season is over.