The Denver Broncos have already got the biggest piece in place with Russell Wilson coming over in a trade. What is next for George Paton in free agency?
The biggest domino has fallen. Russell Wilson is now the QB1 of the Denver Broncos and everyone should be absolutely thrilled that we get to now build the entire offseason on that move.
The Broncos paid a hefty price to get Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, and understandably so. Wilson is a legitimate MVP-caliber quarterback who commanded a reasonable return as a result.
With the trade all but official at this point, what moves can we expect from the Denver Broncos in free agency? What needs are there to address? How much cap space do the Broncos even have to work with?
Let’s start with the cap space. According to Overthecap, the Broncos have just under $24 million in available cap space after the Russell Wilson trade. That’s more than enough space to make some big splashes in free agency. Keep in mind — A player’s average annual salary on a contract is not necessarily their cap hit.
The Broncos were seemingly able to make all their moves last offseason — re-signing Justin Simmons and Shelby Harris, signing Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller, etc. — and borderline add to their cap space.
There’s also the factor of a potential Russell Wilson extension that could add a lot more cap space to the 2022 figure.
Regardless, it’s important to note — the Broncos have plenty of cap space to do just about anything they want, and it’s been reported they are also in a very good spot cash-wise.
As far as needs? That’s pretty easy at the moment to decipher.
Edge, defensive end, and right tackle lead the way. The Broncos also need to look at the free agent market at tight end, linebacker, and safety. They could take some shots at running back and wide receiver too if the price is right.
How will these needs be attacked through free agency? The Broncos still have nine picks in the 2022 NFL Draft to work with, but I think we’re going to see George Paton continue to be aggressive.