Jan 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) prior to facing the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
As mentioned on Saturday, John Elway has some big decisions to make.
The executive vice president and general manager of the Denver Broncos took care of the first two by firing, er, “mutually parting ways” with John Fox and hiring Gary Kubiak as the new head coach. Elway is now preparing for the draft and putting Denver’s board together. He’ll get a better idea of that at the combine in Indianapolis at the end of February.
What will have the biggest impact on this team is free agency. What Elway decides to do with the Broncos free agents and players under contract will determine which players he targets in March.
Elway more than likely already knows which guys he wants back, wants to cut and try to sign. I listed the five players Denver should ditch, and now. This story focuses on the five players the Broncos should re-sign or target in free agency.
The NFL salary cap is projected to be around $140 million for the 2015 season. As is it stands now, Elway and Denver have a little over $27 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap. The moves Elway should make will move that to more than $33 million – that’s more than enough room to make all of these happen.
As Elway showed in last year’s off-season with the additions of Emmanuel Sanders, Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and DeMarcus Ware, he’s a master at the salary cap. With the re-signing of cornerback Chris Harris this season, he still has the room to make these moves happen.
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (88) warms up before the game between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Aside from the Broncos getting Peyton Manning back, getting this Thomas signed is the most important move of the off-season. There’s no way Elway lets Thomas even sniff free agency. That means Thomas will either get a long-term deal or get franchised.
The only way I see Julius Thomas staying in Denver is if the Broncos and DT reach a long-term agreement, allowing them to potentially franchise JT. If that doesn’t happen, Thomas the tight end will go the way of Eric Decker (and be as effective with his new team.)
Demaryius is one of the best young receivers in the NFL and should spend the rest of his career in Denver. The playoff game didn’t do him any favors (that lack of a block on C.J. Anderson’s fourth-down run) but Gary Kubiak and Rick Dennison will help in that regard.
JT could thrive in this offense now – not that he hasn’t the last four years – but this offense is made for a receiver like Demaryius Thomas. Get him re-signed and the rest of these moves will fall into place.
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos guard Orlando Franklin (74) pass rushes during the first quarter of the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Franklin was the highest-graded player from the divisional round playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Not the highest-graded offensive lineman, the highest-graded player.
Franklin took the move from right tackle to left guard and played incredibly well. He did have some struggles at times but that’s to be expected. A second off-season and season at left guard will do wonders for Franklin. The zone-blocking scheme that Kubiak is known for will help Franklin get even better at left guard. As will an improved Ryan Clady at left tackle, which also ties into the new blocking system. There’s one other piece to this puzzle that will help Franklin and the offensive line: the return of Alex Gibbs as a consultant.
As for what Elway should do at right tackle, keep reading since I will cover that position in this piece.
But after Thomas, the most important in-house player to get back is Franklin.
Sep 14, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos tackle Paul Cornick (71) during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
There’s two offensive linemen on the list, and this isn’t the last one. If you watched the Broncos last season, you know why. The offensive line was a Porta-Potty at Woodstock.
When Cornick wasn’t injured, he played incredibly well. Since you never know when injuries will happen, you need as many Cornick’s on your roster as possible. Along with Ben Garland and Michael Schofield, Cornick adds the depth that Denver needs at offensive line.
Cornick is a restricted free agent, so he will be back. The coaches the Broncos have know offense and offensive linemen. Cornick could thrive in this scheme.
And he adds needed depth, so it’s a must for Elway to get Cornick back on the roster for 2015.
Jan 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) is blocked by Dallas Cowboys center Travis Frederick (72) during the second quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Many in Broncos Country don’t think this is possible since he’ll command a steep price. Give Elway some credit with how he works the salary cap. He demonstrated in last year’s off-season that he turns deals into a series of one-year deals. And the Broncos do have the cap space to bring on Suh.
Let’s say Elway approaches Manning to restructure his contract to around $12 million or so, that would push Denver to more than $40 million in cap space. Even if Suh demands the higher end, unless it gets outrageous, you do it. Suh is a game-changer at defensive line.
As for those who say he’s too dirty or nasty or cheap or mean, I give you Lyle Alzado and Bill Romanowksi. Two players who played with edge, were mean, nasty, cheap and dirty. Both Alzado and Romo not only crossed the line at times, but took a tank to it.
Thinking about new Broncos defensive line coach Bill Kollar working with Suh, Ware, Von Miller and the other talented guys should get you amped up. Don’t think the Broncos coaching staff could coach Suh? Well, Kollar wrestled a bear, so, yeah, it would happen.
Suh brings the mindset the Denver defense needs. He brings the nasty. He brings the attitude. He brings the mean. Like Alzado, Suh is a wild animal who would get unleashed on game day. And Suh is exactly what the Broncos defense needs. He’s exactly what the team needs.
Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers tackle Bryan Bulaga (75) blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
I told you there was another offensive lineman on this list, and this one fills a huge need at right tackle.
When Elway signs Bulaga to a contract, it will allow Louis Vasquez to move back to right guard, where he is one of the best (if not the best) in the NFL. It will solidify the right side of the Broncos offensive line for years to come.
Bulaga finished 2014 with a +12.7 Pro Football Focus grade (+13.2 in pass blocking, +0.1 in run blocking). He allowed four sacks and 25 hits or hurries on the season. Bulaga’s best season was 2011, his second year in the NFL. He had a +19.0 PFF grade (+8.2 in pass protection, +10.3 in run blocking). He allowed only one sack that season.
The belief is Bulaga will net somewhere between $6-7 million per year. Again, even with DT, Franklin and Suh, there is plenty of space for Elway to make this happen. In fact, he would still have room left for some veterans and the draft.
Suh and Bulaga immediately improve both positions and are hugely needed by the Broncos. The last four years the defensive tackles have been incapable of getting consistent pressure; especially with a pass rush. The last four years, right tackle has been a makeshift position (as seen last season when Vasquez was moved there). After the in-house guys, these two guys have to be who Elway goes after.
If you add them, you give the Broncos two of the best lines in the NFL.