Denver Broncos: 8 free agents who should be on the team’s wish list

Denver Broncos 2021 FA wish list: Leonard Williams, DL, Giants

Leonard Williams was one of my top free agent targets for the Denver Broncos in the 2020 offseason as well.

He still doesn’t have a long-term deal with the New York Giants after being franchise tagged in 2020, so the idea of bringing him to Denver is once again at the very least not impossible.

The only issue is, Williams’ value has now skyrocketed and it will undoubtedly require premium free agent dollars to acquire him. Do the Denver Broncos have that in their budget?

We know that general manager George Paton emphasized the importance of building in the trenches on both sides of the football. The Broncos’ offensive line appears to be pretty well set for the foreseeable future, and the entire offensive side of the ball is under team control for a good amount of time yet.

Leonard Williams will turn 27 years old in June, and he’s been playing at a very high level both against the run and as a pass rusher since he came into the league.

If the Giants fear they might lose him to free agency, they may very well slap him with the franchise tag for a second consecutive season. He had a bonkers year in terms of productivity with 57 total tackles, 30 quarterback hits, 14 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks.

Imagine that kind of production in the Vic Fangio defense.

This move would be similar in terms of impact to when the Chicago Bears signed Akiem Hicks to play in Fangio’s defense in 2016 and he helped take that defense to another level.

The Giants, by no means, should be letting Williams go if they can help it. If he hits free agency, however, the Denver Broncos should try to make a competitive offer and land him over the other teams in the income tax-free states.