If the Denver Broncos were planning on making a "big splash" at the linebacker position in NFL Free Agency, that may no longer be the case. The Philadelphia Eagles took Zack Baun off the board with a three-year deal worth a whopping $51 million. Now, the Kansas City Chiefs have taken Nick Bolton off the board with a three-year deal worth $45 million.
At this point, the only "splash" the Broncos are going to be able to make at off-ball linebacker is like a pebble falling into the ocean.
Bolton was the clear top inside linebacker on the board following the Eagles' decision to re-sign Zack Baun, and now he's no longer in the picture.
So where will the Broncos pivot?
Broncos linebacker options with Nick Bolton now off the board
There are plenty of folks out there who like (or have talked themselves into) Jamien Sherwood of the New York Jets. And Sherwood could make some sense for the Broncos, who are looking to add some speed to the position. But at his price tag of likely $12 million per year (or more), the team might be better off shifting gears to potentially multiple linebacker signings and allocate their primary focus at another position.
Maybe wide receiver...
Some of the more budget-friendly options out there that could make sense for Denver would include players like Isaiah Simmons (who previously played for Vance Joseph), Devin Bush, Willie Gay Jr., and Divine Deablo. The Broncos could also consider potentially trying to acquire someone like Bobby Okereke in a trade with the New York Giants.
Whatever the team ends up doing, they have to get more athletic at the linebacker position. Alex Singleton is the only returning player at the position with any experience and he's going to be 32 years old, fresh off of a torn ACL. Even if his recovery is going well, expectations for Singleton this season should be tempered.
The Broncos moved Drew Sanders back to the inside linebacker position after experimenting with him off the edge. They could potentially have something there, but it's impossible for the team to bank on that at this point.
It would be roster malpractice for the team to simply do nothing at linebacker, but there are some names out there that make absolutely no sense such as Robert Spillane of the Raiders. Spillane has been horrendous in coverage in his career and is entering his age-30 season.
The legal negotiating period for NFL free agency is on Monday, March 10 at 10:00 AM MT.