Shaquil Barrett, Matt Paradis, Bennie Fowler RFA decisions coming
The Denver Broncos should be making RFA tender decisions on WR Bennie Fowler, LB Shaquil Barret, and C Matt Paradis soon…
The Denver Broncos have many big decisions coming up regarding 2018 NFL Free Agency, but some of their most important in the form of their own restricted free agents.
In case you aren’t familiar with the difference between the types of free agents, a restricted free agent is a player that is still under relatively significant control of the team with which their contract just expired.
The Broncos will have the ability to extend a ‘tender’ offer to their players with a restricted free agent designation, and depending on how high that tender offer is, the Broncos will be able to match any offer the player receives, or they will be compensated with a corresponding draft pick.
Three restricted free agents loom for the Broncos with one week remaining, and they are outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, center Matt Paradis, and wide receiver Bennie Fowler.
Each of these players was brought in back in 2014, with Barrett and Fowler joining the Broncos as undrafted free agents and Paradis as a sixth round pick out of Boise State.
All three players spent much or all of the 2014 season on the Broncos’ practice squad, which is why their contracts essentially tolled to this fourth season.
The Broncos will likely have some interest in bringing all three back, but John Elway said at the Scouting Combine that the plan with Barrett and Paradis specifically is to make sure other teams don’t really have any interest in trying to steal them.
With that said, my guess is that both Barrett and Paradis will be given the second round RFA tender, meaning if they choose to try and sign with another team, the Broncos would receive that team’s second round pick, or could work out a sign and trade.
More from Predominantly Orange
- Broncos chances of landing Sean Payton dwindling, but not gone
- Denver Broncos dream coaching staff for DeMeco Ryans
- Denver Broncos: “Sleeper” David Shaw checks every box
- The Broncos’ coaching search likely has not gone to plan
- Special Chiefs Suck Offer: Bet $5, Win $150 if Joe Burrow Passes for ONE YARD vs KC
The second round RFA tender is worth just under $3 million and is fully guaranteed when the player signs it.
For Fowler, it’s not out of the question that the Broncos will offer him a late-round tender, or original round tender. They offered former UDFA running back C.J. Anderson an original round tender, and that turned out to be a huge mistake, because the Broncos actually wanted him back.
By offering him the original round tender, the Broncos basically made Anderson a free agent with first right of refusal. The Miami Dolphins tried to steal Anderson from Denver by offering him a high guarantee in the first year of a contract, which they felt Denver would not match at the time.
John Elway surprised everyone by bringing him back.
All of this to say, I would be surprised if Denver didn’t offer Fowler the original round tender, allowing him to shop his services around the league.
Expect these tender offers to be extended sometime this week.