Recapping Denver Broncos wild Day 1 of 2023 NFL Free Agency

Some teams like to slow play NFL Free Agency, if they even really get involved at all. The Denver Broncos are typically good for at least one or two bigger moves throughout the course of NFL Free Agency, but you would have to go back to the 2014 offseason to find as exciting of a single day of free agency as Broncos fans experienced on Monday, March 13, 2023.

Not everyone loves every move, and not everyone agrees with the players chosen at different positions. But it's hard to argue with the fact that the Broncos really went out and addressed their biggeset needs immediately and aggressively. Whether or not it works out? Well, that's now in the hands of head coach Sean Payton and his staff.

Let's recap the day that was before the Denver Broncos get going again on day two...

Denver Broncos Day 1 Free Agency recap

1. Mike McGlinchey, OT (5 years, $87.5 million)

So far the "biggest" move the Denver Broncos have made is attacking their longstanding need at the right tackle spot by adding Mike McGlinchey, the former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers who started 69 games for Kyle Shanahan's team. McGlinchey is coming off of a season in which he did have eight penalties, which isn't what you want, but he's certainly known for bringing some power in the running game. He has good athleticism at the position and can get out in space.

He will be relied upon heavily to be a consistent presence at the position, one that has been an absolute embarrassment for the Denver Broncos in recent years. McGlinchey's new position coach in Denver will be former New Orleans Saints right tackle Zach Strief, and he'll presumably line up right next to Quinn Meinerz on the right side of the revamped Denver offensive line.

While his run blocking is his strength, McGlinchey also has improved as a pass protector the last couple of years. He wasn't the best pass-protecting tackle on the market -- that was former Jaguars OT Jawaan Taylor -- but McGlinchey has gotten better there, although he's still been susceptible. The Broncos are going to rely on Zach Streif and Sean Payton to minimize the flaws in McGlinchey's game and enhance his strengths by running the ball to set up the pass.

2. Ben Powers, OG (4 years, $52 million)

The Denver Broncos knew they had to upgrade in the trenches offensively, and they definitely did that. In the first wave of the first day of free agency, they not only handed out the $87.5 million to Mike McGlinchey, but before that, they handed out a $52 million deal to former Baltimore Ravens offenisve guard Ben Powers.

With Dalton Risner hitting free agency as well, Ben Powers was arguably the top option on the open market for the Denver Broncos to pursue. While he was with the Ravens, Powers showed himself to be one of the best pass protecting guards in the game, allowing zero sacks last year and just one QB hit.

Look, say what you want about how much guys get paid in free agency, whether they are overpaid in this first wave, or whatever -- I will take as many guys in Denver that gave up 0 sacks in a full NFL season as I can get. Obviously, George Paton and Sean Payton agreed.

Quite frankly, I wasn't sure if the Broncos would actually go after a big-money free agent guard if they also went after tackles, and it appears as though the bank of Walmart is fully open for the team to make moves as they see fit.

Ben Powers is only 26, so he also fits my personal "brand" of signing younger free agents with upside to be longer-term starters. It doesn't always work out that way, but it will be nice in the future if Powers is still playing at a high level and the Broncos can re-sign him again at the age of just 30 when this contract is up.

But for the here and now, the Broncos needed to address the offensive line which was injured, battered, and broken, and gave up 63 sacks (most in the NFL) in 2022.

3. Jarrett Stidham, QB (2 years, $10 million)

I caught some flak for calling the Jarrett Stidham signing a "big splash" early on in NFL free agency, but I stand by what I said.

The Denver Broncos let Brett Rypien hit the open market despite being a restricted free agent. They could have gone any number of directions with the backup QB spot, but ultimately opted for Stidham on a two-year deal worth $10 million. I don't think this is an insignificant or just "typical" backup deal whatsoever. The Broncos needed a true contingency plan for Russell Wilson in 2023 and obviously Stidham is that guy.

I might have personally preferred someone with a more high-profile NFL Draft history, but the Broncos may not have been in the market for Sam Darnold (who signed with the 49ers) and Jameis Winston was re-signed by the Saints to be Derek Carr's backup.

Stidham is not exactly a reclamation project but he fits the bill of a younger QB with some upside still who could end up being a bridge QB in 2024 if things go poorly with Russell Wilson in 2023.

4. Chris Manhertz, TE (2 years, $6 million)

The Denver Broncos had a pretty understated need at the tight end position with both Eric Saubert and Eric Tomlinson hitting free agency. With noted receiving tight ends Greg Dulcich and Albert Okwuegbunam under contract, a player like Chris Manhertz was an absolute necessity.

Don't be shocked if we see a bunch of 12 personnel from the Broncos this year (two tight ends) and Manhertz playing a ton of snaps. He is a tremendous blocking tight end not just in the running game, but this guy can pass protect...

This is kind of a fun pickup for the Broncos, not a guy who is going to score 10 touchdowns for you but might be the unsung hero on a lot of big plays.

5. Zach Allen, DL (3 years, $45.75 million)

This is a bit of a loaded move because, well, it means saying goodbye to Dre'Mont Jones. Jones did sign on day one of the NFL free agency frenzy, but not with the Broncos or really anyone that was expected to sign him. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks after it was reported they were cutting Shelby Harris. The Seahawks had to wait a year but I think Dre'Mont Jones was the guy they really wanted in the Russell Wilson trade but they settled for Shelby Harris.

Now they've got Dre'Mont Jones in the fold, and the Broncos replaced him with Zach Allen, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals. Everyone and their dog has made the connection between Vance Joseph and Zach Allen given the writing on the wall with Dre'Mont Jones, and this match actually ended up happening.

Allen has been tremendous the last couple of years for the Cardinals and was tops among free agent defensive linemen with 19 QB hits last year. Playing with JJ Watt in Arizona really helped take Allen's game to the next level, and Vance Joseph obviously knows how he can properly utilize him on the defensive front. He joins a group with DJ Jones, Mike Purcell, and young players Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen.

Landing Zach Allen should help Broncos fans sleep at night knowing that while Dre'Mont Jones is gone, his spot has been filled by someone very capable. The two will now be compared -- fair or not -- for the next three seasons while their big-money deals play out.

6. Alex Singleton, LB (3 years, $18 million)

The Denver Broncos signed a variety of out-of-house free agents, but they also took care of one of their own by bringing back linebacker Alex Singleton on a three-year deal worth $18 million in total money. Singleton went from being a backup and special teams guy to being the team's leading tackler seemingly overnight.

He had multiple games with 20 tackles. He was flying all over the field all season long and not only did he do a great job as an injury reliever for both Jonas Griffith and Josey Jewell, but Singleton seemingly formed the perfect duo along with Jewell. How will those two play in Vance Joseph's defense? That remains to be seen. It was a great relationship between their skill sets and the play-calling of Ejiro Evero, who is obviously now in Carolina.

But Singleton obviously felt like not only was the price right in Denver, but so was the fit. He and Josey Jewell will pencil in as the starting linebackers for the Denver defense yet again in 2023 with Jonas Griffith also getting the ERFA tender to return on a relatively inexpensive deal as well.

Singleton is 29, and this deal is basically going to be for the next two years with an option for a third, but it's a solid deal for the Broncos with the linebacker market just overall not looking super player-friendly.

With the way Singleton and Jewell played together in 2022, it's worth the Broncos taking the risk that they will play well together in Vance Joseph's defense. The team could still be looking to make additions defensively as well with rumors of CJ Gardner-Johnson emerging late on Monday night.