Broncos free agency: Plenty of reunions still on the table
Broncos Free Agency: The Denver Broncos are plowing ahead in the 2016 offseason, but not many actual roster moves seemingly have been made. If they want to go there, there are plenty of reunions on the table still…
What are the Broncos going to do as free agency progresses? How are they going to address the issues of depth on the roster with the cap space they have left? Will Ryan Clady re-negotiate his contract now that DeMarcus Ware has a deal done?
There are a lot of questions that I still have personally, specifically with some big dominoes yet to fall:
– Who will play quarterback?
– Who will play running back?
It’s somewhat scary if you’re not patient (like me) to not have a settled situation in the backfield at any point, especially as teams are building their rosters here in free agency and making moves. The Broncos seem to be at an impasse with plenty right now, but things should start picking up this week for the second wave of free agency.
Since the Broncos are currently not really signing anyone at all, I thought it would be fun to look at some possible reunions that are still out there on the open market based on the Broncos’ current needs or areas they could improve. Let’s take a look.
Arian Foster reunites with Gary Kubiak
I like this idea for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the Broncos currently have Kapri Bibbs and Juwan Thompson at the RB spot. C.J. Anderson may or may not be in Denver in 2016 and beyond. He certainly made it a tough decision for them. Ronnie Hillman, the team’s leading rusher, is also exploring options elsewhere.
So what about a reunion with Foster and Kubiak? Foster enjoyed the best success of his NFL career with Gary Kubiak as his head coach, and when healthy can still be an effective back. He won’t command much on a contract nor will he be around for more than a year or two, but with some key departures this offseason, the Broncos could use some more veteran leadership offensively.
Foster could help provide that as well.
Alfred Morris reunites with a zone blocking guru
When Alfred Morris burst onto the scene in 2012 as an unheralded rookie for the Washington Redskins, he proved capable of being a workhorse back in this league. His effectiveness wasn’t limited to the zone blocking scheme, but it was certainly amplified in it.
His production has steadily declined since 2012, but he hasn’t lost a fumble in the last two years after losing 7 in his first two NFL seasons, and I think at this point he would be a nice bargain despite having made two Pro Bowls in his young career.
Would the Broncos favor the option of Morris over a $6 million cap hit from C.J. Anderson this year?
Time will tell, but Morris is still just 27 and is a great fit in this offense, as we’ve seen.
Zane Beadles…
Hey, remember when Zane Beadles was a big money free agent signing for the Jacksonville Jaguars?
That was just two years ago, and now he’s on the open market again as a cap casualty. The Jaguars could have afforded him too.
That in itself is an indictment, but Beadles knows the Broncos and this front office well, and has played in a Super Bowl with this team. If the Broncos feel like he could be a valuable addition on the interior offensive line, why not bring him back for some depth?
Terrance Knighton – the Pot Roast
Why not bring back Knighton? He made just $4 million with the Redskins last year, and I can’t imagine he’s going to command more than that this year. Knighton would thrive with Bill Kollar coaching up the defensive line, and would allow the Broncos the option to move Sylvester Williams to the DE spot in their 3-4 defensive look.
They could also move Darius Kilgo to the DE spot for certain packages.
I’m just looking at the options. With Phil Taylor in the fold, the Broncos appear to have plenty of options at nose tackle currently, but Knighton is an athletic run stuffer who plays physical and is a vocal leader. It would be fun to have him back.
Rahim the dream Moore
Moore is much maligned in Denver for his getting beat on the infamous ‘Hail Joe’ play in the playoffs of the 2012 season, Peyton Manning’s first in Denver.
Not known for his physicality, Moore was a decent centerfielder in his time with the Broncos, who are currently on the hunt for a backup safety with David Bruton testing the free agent market.
Would a reunion be possible here? He signed a three-year deal last year worth $12 million that had some wondering why the Broncos weren’t in on that price. He’s still young and was one of the first picks of the John Elway tenure in Denver back in 2011.