The Denver Broncos have made plenty of big moves in the first offseason of George Paton’s tenure as general manager. Which five are the best?
It’s been a heck of an offseason for the Denver Broncos in 2021. The Broncos are certainly no strangers to the offseason spotlight over the last decade or so, and 2021 was no different. It all started with John Elway stepping down from his role as general manager of the team and bringing in George Paton from the Minnesota Vikings to build the roster.
Paton was tasked with keeping some positive momentum going and even, dare we say, getting the roster to a point where the playoffs are no longer a laughable expectation from the outside looking in.
Elway had talked about wanting some fresh eyes on the organization at the time he stepped away, and Paton came in with exactly that. After turning down a wide variety of general manager offers over the years, Paton noted that the Denver Broncos’ job opening was one he simply couldn’t pass up on.
As many Denver media talking heads have made a mockery of the roster John Elway assembled, it’s interesting that George Paton didn’t just come in and gut it — he really just kept building on the foundation and even framing put in place by Elway since the team’s roster turned to rubble after the Super Bowl 50 victory.
Even with the setback of the Paxton Lynch flop in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos appear poised to be a potential Wild Card playoff team in 2021 and if Drew Lock takes a huge step forward, perhaps even AFC West contenders.
The latter is certainly a lofty hypothetical, but with seven slots in the playoffs, the Broncos should be thinking postseason.
They can think that way — realistically — thanks to these five moves made throughout the 2021 offseason.
5. Doubling up on veteran right tackles
The Denver Broncos took a risk by not drafting a single offensive tackle among their 10 picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The team expected Ja’Wuan James back for the 2021 season after opting out in 2020 and missing most of the 2019 season due to injury. The reason he was expected back was purely financial, but when James suffered a season-ending Achilles injury working out away from the team facility, it may have been a blessing in disguise for both parties (although, not so much for James who had to forfeit a bunch of cash).
James was able to get another fresh start in another NFL city in Baltimore and the Broncos were able to free up a good chunk of cap space when James’ off-site injury voided guarantees in his contract.
Given the timing of the injury, the Denver Broncos had a rather robust crop of free agents to choose from which is pretty rare considering the injury happened after the NFL Draft.
After hosting some veterans on visits, the Broncos signed not only one but two players to compete for the starting job and give the team some much-needed depth at the position in 2021.
They signed former Chicago Bears starting right tackle Bobby Massie and former New York Giants starter Cameron Fleming to one-year deals which, all told, count less than $4 million on the 2021 salary cap.
Not bad.
Those contracts help the Denver Broncos when it comes to having immediate available space but nothing was sacrificed for the future by bringing those two players in, either.
Along with a developing player like Calvin Anderson, someone the team likes quite a bit, the Broncos now have three options at the right tackle position and some versatility from those guys to play additional backup spots if they don’t win the starting job.
4. Trade for Teddy Bridgewater
As the 2021 offseason progressed and quarterback options were flying off the free agent and trade board, George Paton sat back and waited for the right time to pounce on a trade he probably wanted to make for months.
Instead of overpaying and trying to strike a trade early in the offseason, Paton waited until the day before the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft to acquire Teddy Bridgewater from the Carolina Panthers, who was entering year two of a three-year, $63 million deal he had signed in the 2020 offseason.
After re-working his deal, and with what the Panthers absorbed, Bridgewater is costing the Denver Broncos just over $4.4 million against the 2021 salary cap and he cost just a sixth-round pick (191 overall).
For that price, the gamble is well worth it for the Denver Broncos.
Bridgewater’s cap hit ranks 33rd in the NFL at the quarterback position, so even if you just consider him to be a solid backup option, he’s more than reasonably priced.
It’s not impossible to think that playing in Denver could bring out the best in Bridgewater. He has played his best football on teams that were really good, notably his work early on with the Minnesota Vikings and more recently with the New Orleans Saints.
The great thing about this move is, the Broncos aren’t even necessarily banking their team success in 2021 on Bridgewater playing his best ball. They would love it, obviously, if he does have to play. The “Plan A” remains for Drew Lock to seize the job and become “the guy” in Denver.
Acquiring Bridgewater was a great “Plan B” move by George Paton and the front office given the way he really raises the floor at that position group.
3. Re-signing Shelby Harris
One of the top priorities for the Denver Broncos entering the 2021 offseason — before John Elway stepped down from being GM of the team — was re-signing defensive lineman Shelby Harris.
The priorities didn’t change once George Paton entered the building.
After the 2019 season, it seemed like a total longshot that Harris would be back with the Broncos. He was expected to command north of $10 million on the open market and it was more than a little shocking when he didn’t.
Not only did he not command over $10 million per year in 2020 free agency, but Harris re-signed with the Denver Broncos on a one-year, $3.25 million deal. It doesn’t get enough love as arguably the biggest steal in the 2020 free agency circuit, but Harris certainly has outplayed that average annual value for a few years now.
In 2020, he once again proved his worth to the team and George Paton recognized it, rewarding Harris with the biggest contract he will probably ever sign as an NFL player.
Harris re-signed in Denver for three years, $27 million in total money with $15 million in guarantees. That contract put Harris 18th in the NFL among defensive tackles in average annual salary, a fair deal for both sides entering his age 30 season.
Harris has become a key leader on the Denver Broncos regardless of offense or defense and this contract reflects the tremendous on and off-field contributions he’s made since coming aboard all the way back in 2017.
2. Overloading at the CB position
The second-best move of the 2021 offseason for the Denver Broncos is not a singular move, but a variety of moves combined into one.
The team’s decision and strategy to totally overhaul and overload the cornerback position could turn out to be one of the most important they made all year.
The Broncos were expected to target a cornerback heading into free agency. What they weren’t expected to do was sign two prominent veterans and then use the 9th overall pick on arguably the CB1 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The team initially signed Ronald Darby to a three-year contract after his huge season with the Washington Football Team in 2020. Darby has a history of injuries but also a history of outstanding ball production.
Very few defensive backs have as many pass breakups since 2015 as Darby (81) despite the fact that he has missed plenty of time with injuries.
Although his numbers date back to the 2014 season, Kyle Fuller is one cornerback who can pretty well match Darby in terms of his production on the football given that he missed the entire 2016 season. Since 2014, he has had 82 passes broken up.
Along with veteran Bryce Callahan, those three guys have been outstanding at getting their hands on the ball in their NFL careers, and obviously safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson have done the exact same thing since they came into the league.
Adding Pat Surtain II to the mix along with those veteran players makes this Denver Broncos secondary arguably the best and most talented in the entire NFL.
The personnel groupings the team was trotting out down the stretch of the 2020 season likely sparked this strategy and George Paton’s Vikings teams have always heavily emphasized investment in the defensive backfield, whether it was through the draft or free agency.
That didn’t change upon his arrival in Denver and it’s given the Broncos a position group they can really hang their hats on entering the 2021 season.
1. Re-signing Justin Simmons
The best and biggest and even most important move of the Denver Broncos’ 2021 offseason was unquestionably re-signing Justin Simmons to a record-setting contract.
For the time being, Simmons has the highest AAV on his contract of any player in the NFL at the safety position. He is more than deserving of that title for however long it winds up lasting.
Re-signing Simmons was so much more than just bringing back a good player for the Denver Broncos, and Simmons is undoubtedly a good player. Since he was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Boston College, he’s picked off 16 passes and broken up 37.
The guy hasn’t missed a single snap since 2017, he has been a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, and has represented the Denver Broncos both on and off the field with excellence.
It was shocking that Simmons did not receive a contract extension in the 2020 offseason, and at his end-of-season press conference after the conclusion of the 2020 campaign, it really felt like goodbye.
That was, until George Paton came in, the Denver Broncos tagged Simmons again, and this time made it a priority to re-sign him well in advance of the deadline to do so.
Re-signing Simmons was crucial because if he couldn’t get a long-term deal from the team and one that resets the market, who could?
Simmons did everything right, above and beyond expectations. Letting him walk in free agency or even trying to re-sign him at a below-market deal would have been such a bad look from the Broncos’ front office and would have sent a ripple effect through the locker room, sending the message to players that no matter how well you play or how much you do for the community, you’re not guaranteed a new contract.
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There are certainly still no guarantees, but Simmons was richly rewarded for his outstanding representation of the Denver Broncos as a player and leader off the field.