Donald Stephenson restructures contract a second time
Denver Broncos offensive tackle Donald Stephenson restructured his contract earlier in the offseason, and he’s restructured it again, per reports…
As the preseason comes to a close, it’s important for NFL roster bubble players across the league to recognize what they have to do on the field to make the final 53. For Denver Broncos offensive tackle Donald Stephenson, that also means doing anything necessary off the field to make the team.
Stephenson agreed to a restructured contract earlier in the offseason, one that would pay him a $2 million base salary and $2 million more if he made the final 53-man roster.
He’s agreed to another restructured contract, according to reports, one that will pay him now $2.5 million guaranteed with no money for 2018 (previously $4 million) guaranteed at all.
The move to re-do Stephenson’s contract could either be a way to make him more attractive on the trade market or (more likely) a sign that he’s all but guaranteed the swing tackle job with the Broncos this season.
After the 2016 season, it’s hard to have to choose between either Stephenson or fellow backup Ty Sambrailo as the primary backup offensive tackle, but that appears the road the Broncos are heading down and it looks like Stephenson has probably won the job.
As Mike Klis speculates in the link above, this could very well mean Ty Sambrailo is being dangled in trade talks.
As Klis also notes, part of Stephenson’s struggles could have been the strained calf he played through much of the season. So far in the preseason, Stephenson has been solid in two games, and has experience at both right and left tackle.
There was a time during the 2016 season when the Broncos were trying to work Sambrailo back into the lineup at the expense of playing time for Stephenson, and a Sunday night debacle for Sambrailo against Justin Houston and the Chiefs made the alternative of Stephenson seem like a superhero was coming to save the day.
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That was perhaps one of Stephenson’s better games as a Bronco, as he came in and held his own against a hot pass rusher in Houston.
Things are starting to shake out for the Broncos on the offensive line. For right now, the two-deep depth chart looks like it could end up being something like this:
LT: Garett Bolles, Donald Stephenson
LG: Max Garcia, Allen Barbre
C: Matt Paradis, Connor McGovern
RG: Ron Leary, Billy Turner
RT: Menelik Watson, Stephenson
In this scenario, the Broncos would be keeping nine offensive linemen. That may be a bit excessive, given the versatility of guys like McGovern who can play guard or center. There’s also Michael Schofield, last year’s starting right guard who is now on the third team.
What happens to him?
All of these questions will soon be answered.