The Denver Broncos have taken care of the first order of business this offseason by hiring a new head coach. The next step will be to hit the ground running when the free-agent market opens.
That is just about one month away and in a recent interview, Broncos general manager George Paton stated that the team intends to be aggressive in free agency.
Previously I talked about some potential free agents that the Broncos should consider splurging on. Those are players that could break the bank.
But the Broncos, even if the plan is to be aggressive, will also have to be intelligent as well. Last year, Paton shelled out a huge deal to Randy Gregory who had a disastrous first year with the team.
Without having a pick in either of the first two rounds of the draft, free agency will be that much more important for the Broncos.
Here are some players that could be available that the Broncos could sign at a reasonable rate.
Free agents that Broncos could sign that won’t break the bank
Ethan Pocic, Center, Cleveland Browns
The Broncos are going to need to address the offensive line with several players this offseason and center will be one of the prime targets, particularly if the team moves on from Graham Glasgow in a cost-cutting move.
Lloyd Cushenberry was placed on injured reserve in November and did not return during the season. It would be a surprise to see him back as anything more than a backup next season but his time in Denver seems to be on shaky ground.
There are options in free agency and one that makes a lot of sense is Ethan Pocic, who spent last season with the Cleveland Browns after signing a one-year deal last offseason. Prior to that, he was with the Seattle Seahawks for five years where he was a teammate of Russell Wilson.
Bringing Pocic, a former second-round pick, into Denver to pair with Wilson would give the team’s starting quarterback a familiar feel at the center spot.
Pocic has great size for the position at 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds but he has had some injury issues across his career, including a knee injury that caused him to miss four games this past season.
The Broncos will have to look into the injury history but at the right price, signing Pocic makes a lot of sense.
Marcus Peters, Cornerback, Baltimore Ravens
Marcus Peters is a veteran who can also be extremely easy to dislike. Remember this?
Is there any chance that helped earn any level of respect from Sean Payton? If not, can it be considered water under the bridge at this point? Possibly.
Peters has spent the past four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens after stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams. He’s had an up-and-down career, but the downs have mostly been marked by injuries.
When he’s out there, Peters is still a solid cover corner that will bring some attitude to the defense. He has incredibly good ball skills as evidenced by his 32 career interceptions. Only three active players have more career interceptions. He has also returned six of those for touchdowns.
The Broncos have the youth of Patrick Surtain, one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and Damarri Mathis, but the team is in need of more depth. K’Waun Williams had a good first year with the team but rounding out the group with a veteran such as Peters could work.
Plus, Peters could be cheaper than many names on the market due to his age. Players like Rock Ya-Sin, Jamel Dean and Eli Apple will likely command bigger deals and that doesn’t begin to touch on the guys who will make big money such as James Bradberry.
If Peters can be had cheaper than some of those guys, that’s enticing.
Nick Mullens, QB, Minnesota Vikings
The Broncos are going to need to look for an upgrade at the backup quarterback position this offseason, whether that be in free agency, the draft, or both. But the team doesn’t need to bring in an overpriced option that may never see the field.
Nick Mullens is a perfect backup quarterback. The well-traveled veteran has already played for five different teams but he has seen plenty of action in relief of the guys in front of him. He has 17 career starts and has thrown for over 5,000 yards with 27 touchdowns.
The hope will be that Russell Wilson has a season that is the complete opposite of how things went for him in 2022 and that a backup quarterback won’t be needed other than to carry a clipboard and help him get ready for games.
But Payton may also not have a ton of patience in the quarterback either and if Wilson has another terrible season, there is no guarantee he comes back in 2024.
Mullens would be a great option to fall back on to get the Broncos through an injury to Wilson or being called on in a pinch if he is struggling.
The team needs a guy like this and Mullens will be a cheaper option than veterans such as Jacoby Brissett and Andy Dalton.