2. Mike McGlinchey, OT (5 years, $87.5 million)
Here's the biggest one so far. The Denver Broncos have had major issues at the right tackle position since Orlando Franklin left for the Chargers a handful of years ago. And when I say major issues, we're talking some colossal problems.
We're talking historically bad free agent pickups like Donald Stephenson, Menelik Watson, and who could forget Ja'Wuan James? Those free agent pickups failed miserably for the Denver Broncos and they desperately need this one with McGlinchey to hit.
RT Mike McGlinchey is expected to sign with the Denver Broncos, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 13, 2023
McGlinchey signed with the Denver Broncos to a massive five-year deal worth $87.5 million in total money. At $17.5 million per season, McGlinchey is not only going to be expected to play well for the Broncos at the right tackle position, he's going to need to totally erase that bad curse.
A former top-10 pick out of Notre Dame, McGlinchey has been a starter for the 49ers the last handful of years -- 69 games, to be exact. That 49ers team was obviously a very well-oiled machine, but they had other priorities in free agency (Javon Hargrave, so far) versus re-signing McGlinchey especially with an in-house replacement in Colton McKivitz.
The Broncos don't really have the luxury of waiting for the NFL Draft to address these issues. They are paying market value for big-name free agents because they have desperate needs and also no picks in the first two rounds.
That kind of "desperation", if you want to call it that, can often result in bad decisions being made in free agency, but you also hope that the infrastructure Sean Payton has in place with his offensive staff will help these free agent pickups work out well.
The McGlinchey move is one that will now be heavily scrutinized for years to come. It needs to work out well for George Paton, Sean Payton, and the Broncos.