The Denver Broncos figure to soon wrap up their search for a new head coach and the direction of the team will then go straight into roster rebuilding.
The new league year is set to open on March 15 which will signal the official start of the free-agent signing period. Between now and then, the Broncos will likely look to add some cap space in order to pursue new additions to their roster.
For instance, the team can get back nearly $27 million in cap space by releasing three players: Graham Glasgow, Ronald Darby and Chase Edmonds.
The Broncos could get upgrades at each of those positions so there is a good chance that none of those guys are back in Denver next season.
Currently, the Broncos have just $9.6 million in available cap space but with nearly half the league in the red, that might not look so bad.
The Broncos are going to look to make some big moves to get back into contention and free agency is one of the best ways to do that. That is the biggest reason the Jacksonville Jaguars went from having the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back drafts to the divisional round of the playoffs this season.
That said, the Broncos should circle these four names on their free-agent board.
Free agents for Broncos to splurge on: Mike McGlinchey, OT, San Francisco 49ers
If you’re wondering why the San Francisco 49ers have had so much success under head coach Kyle Shanahan, most of it starts up front with a tough, tenacious offensive line.
Guess what is the number one thing that the Broncos need? A tougher, more tenacious offensive line.
The right tackle spot was never addressed with a solid option this past season as the team had multiple marginal guys vying for the starting role in training camp and then both Billy Turner and Tom Compton were hampered with injuries most of the year.
Spotrac shows McGlinchey with a potential market value of about $10.7 million a year, which would be more than double his current annual salary. That salary puts him as the 15th highest-paid right tackle in the league, but a new deal should put him comfortably in the top 10.
The Niners likely won’t let McGlinchey slip away too easily as he is an essential piece in what they like to do, but if he becomes available, the Broncos should consider the hefty price tag in order to get this position fixed as it has been an issue for some time now.