The Denver Broncos have plenty of cap space and should be looking to be spenders when the free-agent market officially opens.
According to Over the Cap, only four teams currently have more available cap space than the Broncos, who have just over $42 available as of right now. That number could go up even more if the team chooses to move on from Von Miller.
General manager George Paton has likely already constructed a list of players he would like to go fishing for when the free-agent signing period begins on March 17. The team has the money to spend, but it has not made the playoffs for the past five seasons, which may make it a little more difficult to lure free agents to Denver.
Of course, in many cases, money talks.
If Paton were able to put together a free-agent class similar to the one you’re about to read about, the team would be much better for it. Note that all of these signings would be made assuming that the team has already reached deals to bring back both Justin Simmons and Shelby Harris, as those two players should be the team’s top priorities.
With that in mind, imagine if the team were able to make these moves.
Rick Wagner is a player currently without a team after the Green Bay Packers cut him loose a couple of weeks ago in a cost-cutting move. He makes a lot of sense for Denver for several reasons, which I previously discussed here.
The Broncos are going to need help at the tackle position, regardless of what happens with Ja’Wuan James. With both Elijah Wilkinson and Demar Dotson being free agents, it’s safe to assume that at least one of them won’t be back in 2021.
Wagner brings a wealth of experience with him, having played for three different teams and for the most part, those teams have been competitive. He would be an upgrade over Wilkinson and possibly even the oft-injured James. But where he would be most important would be as a safety net in case things with James don’t work out, which has certainly been the case during his time with the team thus far.
Roy Robertson-Harris, Defensive end
Undrafted out of UTEP in 2016, Robertson-Harris has spent his entire five-year career with the Chicago Bears. He fits the Broncos for several reasons, but mostly due to his familiarity with head coach Vic Fangio.
He had his best seasons under Fangio and could find that spark again within his scheme in Denver. Robertson-Harris is a solid run defender and while he probably wouldn’t have a starting role with the Broncos, he could add solid depth in certain spots.
The Broncos must re-sign Shelby Harris, but making a move like this signing could mean the team moves on from DeMarcus Walker. Though the former second-round pick showed flashes of transforming his career last season, Robertson-Harris could make more sense in the long term.
He is coming off a shoulder injury that required surgery and shut him down about halfway through the 2020 season. As a result of that, the Broncos could probably land Robertson-Harris on the cheap.
It really comes down to how the organization feels about Walker at this stage in his career. He has mostly been a flop to this point at least in terms of how high he was drafted, but it likely comes down to how Fangio feels about his future.
If Fangio feels that Walker won’t be much better than what we have already seen from him, his former guy, Robertson-Harris, could get a call.
Anthony Harris, Safety
If the Broncos were to sign Harris, it would be under the assumption that they cut ties with Kareem Jackson, as suggested here. Jackson has played great, but his salary is definitely high and with the Broncos likely to pay up for Simmons, do they really want to have that much money tied up in the safety position?
Harris would be an adequate replacement and since Paton is calling the shots, it makes sense for him to go after a player he used to have in Minnesota.
Harris went undrafted out of Virginia in 2015, though that was a surprise as most analysts had him as a draftable player. Following that draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay listed him as the No.1 undrafted free agent available.
The Vikings signed him and he has been solid for the team ever since, racking up 284 tackles in his career with nine interceptions.
With all of that said, Harris has been one of the top safeties in the league and could garner interest from several other teams, driving up his price. If the Broncos can’t get him for a good price, it makes just as much sense to pick up Jackson’s option.
This all comes down to how Paton feels about having Jackson back. If he’s not keen on the idea, bringing in a familiar face could be a route he takes.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Quarterback
This move makes too much sense and in fact, makes way more sense than selling the farm for Deshaun Watson, as detailed here.
Rather than give up on Drew Lock already, when he has been allowed to give just a small sample size of what he’s capable of, why not bring in a capable, veteran quarterback for him to learn from? If that is the plan, is there a better capable veteran than Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Just look at what Fitzpatrick did for Tua Tagovailoa with the Miami Dolphins this past season. In fact, the Dolphins were nearly a playoff team and had they gotten in, Fitzpatrick was as responsible for that as anyone.
If Lock were to falter, the team could sit him down and have the knowledge that there was a guy on the bench that has seen it all in his playing days. It would be far different than handing over the controls to Jeff Driskel or Brett Rypien.
The Broncos could sign Fitzpatrick to a one-year deal and give him the chance to come in and both push Lock for playing time and mentor him to be a better overall quarterback. Of course, that’s exactly what Fitzpatrick had in Miami so if they want him back and are willing to pay him what he’s looking for, he may just opt to return there.
But it’s certainly an avenue the Broncos should go down.
William Jackson III, Cornerback
There is no doubt that the Broncos need to go heavy on addressing the cornerback position and should look to do so both through free agency and the draft.
Though there are veteran options such as Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson that others would argue for (and I wouldn’t necessarily be against), Jackson is the guy the team should be ready to make a big swing at.
A former first-round pick in 2016, Jackson’s career got off to a rough start as a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him for his entire rookie season. He then had to work his way back and wasn’t a starter for the team until the 2018 season.
Since then, he has played in all but two games for the Cincinnati Bengals and has become a good cover corner, one that quarterbacks don’t test all that often. He has 41 career pass breakups and he is also a terrific tackler for a cornerback.
Considered one of the top corners on the market this offseason, he will be looking to get paid like one. If the Broncos were to sign him, he would become the team’s No.1 cornerback, allowing Bryce Callahan to focus on the slot, where he is best.
This would be considered the big “splash” move of this class, even if he’s nowhere near a household name. He won’t come cheap, but guys with the capability of being one of the 10 best cornerbacks in the league never will.