After stepping down away from the longtime General Manager position, John Elway has found his successor to help renew the franchise. The Denver Broncos have officially signed George Paton to a six-year contract to be the new General Manager.
While Paton has stated that building his team through the NFL Draft will be his priority, Free Agency will be a massive part of his tenure as General Manager. In his first round of Free Agency, the Broncos will have several notable names for Paton to decide on.
While the Broncos have drafted well in recent years, retaining their young stars will be key for Paton, and it all starts this offseason. Here are the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Broncos’ 2021 Free Agents.
Denver Broncos 2021 free agent: Justin Simmons, Safety
After being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2016 Draft, Simmons has become a stalwart in the Broncos’ secondary, and the ideal player the Denver Broncos look for in a college prospect.
Simmons’ work in the community and through his foundation have earned him a Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination for two years in a row, and he continues to support local communities with his platform.
Simmons’ impact off the field is just as impressive as his impact on the field. With a career total of 16 interceptions, Simmons’ high IQ play and ball skills have transformed the Broncos’ secondary, and helped bring stability to a defense dealing with turnover all season.
With his incredible impact on and off the field, retaining Justin Simmons is a must for Paton and the front office.
Best Case Scenario: Justin Simmons returns to Denver on a long term contract, and stabilizes the safety position as well as the Broncos’ locker room for the foreseeable future. Simmons’ value to the locker room and his on-field performance makes his resigning the number one priority for the Broncos.
Worst Case Scenario: Simmons decides to move on from the Broncos and pursue a true championship team. The Broncos lose Simmons’ off-field impact, his locker room stability, and his lockdown ability in the secondary, and look to replace their superstar.
My Prediction: General manager George Paton rewards Simmons’ patience and performance with a long-term extension. Simmons should be in the range for upwards of $15 million per year per Overthecap, making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL.
Denver Broncos 2021 free agent: Shelby Harris, Defensive line
Before signing with the Denver Broncos, Shelby Harris had been cut numerous times by the Las Vegas Raiders, as well as by the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. After being signed to a Reserve/Future’s contract by the Broncos, Harris has found his niche, and become one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
In four years with the Broncos, Harris has 15.5 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, and 23 passes defended, per Pro Football Reference. Harris has become a do-it-all player for the Broncos’ front seven and is a vital part of their pass rush.
Harris tested the free-agent market in 2020 but returned to Denver on a one-year “prove it” deal. As Harris finds himself as a free agent again, he will certainly have offers from opposing teams to help provide pass-rushing help. The Broncos would be wise to extend Harris before free agency opens, and retain one of the key pieces of what could be a formidable pass-rushing unit.
Best Case Scenario: After first locking up Justin Simmons, George Paton commits to his in-house players and locks up Shelby Harris for the foreseeable future. Harris has found his role in the Broncos’ system and has become one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the NFL. Harris stays in the Mile High City where he is comfortable.
Worst Case Scenario: After a strong run in Denver, Harris decides to take his talents to a true contender looking for help along the defensive line. Harris will likely take less than average market value to play for a Super Bowl contender and will serve as a rotational piece.
My Prediction: Harris honors the Broncos’ commitment to him and his family, and resigns with the Broncos for slightly below market value. Harris re-signs on a three-year contract with an average salary of around $8 million, but laden with incentives to boost his total value to an average of $12 million per year.
This contract would put Harris in the middle tier of defensive end contracts, per Overthecap.
Denver Broncos 2021 free agent: Will Parks, Defensive back
Will Parks was drafted in the 6th round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and quickly became more than a meaningless roster spot. Parks solidified his role as a Special Teams ace and gave the Broncos a true “Swiss Army knife” on defense to match up with multiple different positions.
The Denver Broncos chose to let Will Parks walk in Free Agency, but was released by the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2020 season. Parks rejoined the Broncos in the final weeks of the season and continued his strong play from before. Now Parks, a free agent again, may have an opportunity to stick in Denver long-term.
Best Case Scenario: The Broncos retain Will Parks on a mid-level contract for the foreseeable future, allowing Parks to grow in the Broncos’ system, and be the potential replacement for Kareem Jackson. Parks will figure to be part of the Broncos’ plans moving forward after signing an extension.
Worst Case Scenario: The Broncos, again, let Parks walk in Free Agency. Parks signs with another team on an affordable contract and leaves the Broncos’ secondary depth thin.
My Prediction: Parks and the Broncos come to an agreement on a three year deal with an average salary of $6.5 million. Parks figures to be the heir apparent to Kareem Jackson in the secondary.
Tim Patrick, Wide receiver
An Undrafted Free Agent out of Utah, Patrick also found his way onto the Denver Broncos’ roster through a Reserve/Future’s contract. Patrick suffered an injury early in the 2019 season, but came back and finished strong to close out the season.
Patrick entered the 2020 season as the number two receiver behind Courtland Sutton but quickly established himself as the go-to guy after Sutton suffered a season-ending knee injury. Patrick showed his value as a starting-caliber receiver in the NFL, and will certainly be coveted by NFL teams looking for weapons this offseason.
Best Case Scenario: The Broncos place a 2nd-round tender on Tim Patrick, meaning he will net the Broncos a 2nd-round pick if he signs elsewhere in free agency. Assuming that Patrick returns to the Broncos, Lock regains his two big-bodied receivers in Sutton and Tim Patrick, while also allowing Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler to develop.
Worst Case Scenario: The Broncos elect not to tag Patrick, meaning he can negotiate with other teams with no compensation returning to the Broncos. Should the Broncos choose not to match another team’s offer on Patrick, the Broncos lose Patrick with no compensation.
My Prediction: The Broncos tag Tim Patrick, but a receiver-needy team pays outside of the Broncos’ price range for Patrick. The Broncos do receive a 2nd round pick in compensation for Patrick’s departure.
Denver Broncos 2021 free agents: Phillip Lindsay, Running back
“The Colorado Kid” signed with the Denver Broncos as an Undrafted Free Agent in 2018, and quickly earned the team’s trust as a starting running back. Throughout his first two seasons in the NFL, he became the Broncos’ most explosive player on a struggling offensive unit.
Lindsay struggled to stay healthy throughout the 2020 season and lost significant touches to Free Agent signing Melvin Gordon. Lindsay often was underutilized in the Broncos’ offense, leading to frustration from fans and Lindsay’s family.
Lindsay is a Restricted Free Agent this offseason, and the Broncos will need to pay up to make sure they keep their star running back in the Mile High City.
Best Case: The Broncos lock Lindsay up as a part of their young core on offense, and show loyalty to their home-grown talent. Lindsay will rebound from a down-year in 2020, and bring the explosiveness he showed in his first two seasons.
Worst Case: Lindsay’s party is unhappy with his role in Denver, and negotiate with a contending team. The Broncos choose not to exercise the 2nd-round tender and do not match the team’s offer, letting Lindsay walk with no reimbursement for the Broncos.
My Prediction: The Broncos tag Lindsay with a 2nd-round tender, and elect to match other teams’ offers. Lindsay stays in Denver for at least one more year.
Alexander Johnson, Linebacker
Johnson’s professional career started off on the wrong foot, with legal issues and accusations that ended his chances of playing professionally. After fighting and winning his legal cases, Johnson was signed by the Denver Broncos and has paid off as a low-risk option.
Johnson has been a mainstay at off-ball linebacker for the Broncos’ defense after making a strong debut against the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2019 season. Johnson is a restricted free agent, and a player Vic Fangio and his staff would love to have back.
Best Case: Johnson resigns with the Broncos to a team-friendly contract that keeps him in Orange and Blue for the foreseeable future. Johnson continues his strong play as an excellent run stuffer and strong blitzer.
Worst Case: The Broncos fail to negotiate a long-term contract with Johnson, and elect not to place a 2nd Round Tender on him. Johnson negotiates with a contending team looking for linebacker help, and the Broncos choose not to match his offer.
My Prediction: Johnson resigns with the Broncos on a 3-year extension, with an average of around $7.5 million per year. Johnson’s contract would put him in the middle tier of linebacker contracts and would keep him in Denver until he turns 32.