Recapping every move the Denver Broncos made in NFL Free Agency

It has been a busy couple of weeks in Broncos Country as new Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, alongside general manager George Paton, set out to improve the team substantially in the first NFL Free Agency period under the Walton-Penner Ownership Group. As historic of a free agency as it was just looking at the people involved, it was even more historic considering how much money the Denver Broncos spent. In the first two weeks of the new league year, the Denver Broncos have handed out a whopping $136 million in guaranteed money alone on new contracts for over a dozen players.

How much better is the roster overall? How much better is the team? The offseason has to be looked at through a completely different lens given the acquisition of head coach Sean Payton, one of the best and most successful coaches in modern football history. Payton's Saints teams won an average of 11 out of every 17 games played while he was with the New Orleans Saints, with 15 years of games to work with as a sample size.

We're going to break down every move that was made, big or small, and talk about some of the major implications these moves can and must have on the 2023 Denver Broncos roster for this team to get back to its winning ways.

Denver Broncos free agency recap: Running back Samaje Perine

The running back position was a very important position for the Denver Broncos to attend to in the 2023 offseason. Javonte Williams suffered a pretty bad injury early in the 2022 season, and his availability for the start of the 2023 season is currently in question. At the very least, the Broncos should not be chomping at the bit to rush him back out there at anything less than 100 percent. That's why the team prioritized signing someone in NFL Free Agency, and they landed a player they feel can help on all three downs in Samaje Perine, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals.

I can give you my thoughts on this move, but let's let Sean Payton describe it first...

"“I see position flex. If you really watch Perine and study the tape, you see him on early downs, and you see him playing third down. He’s a really good receiver. Obviously, he could block the blitz. He’s big, he’s physical, he’s smart, he’s tough. He’s built to last. That was an important piece for us knowing the injury that we’re dealing with. He was really important.”"

Sean Payton (via Denver Broncos PR)

What Payton says really jumps out in the times you see Perine play for the Cincinnati Bengals. He does all of those little things well and he's got a physicality about him that can wear down opponents over the course of the game. He obviously didn't touch the ball as much as Joe Mixon, but Perine made good use of his touches and targets and the Broncos have found themselves a very trustworthy player on all three downs.

On a two-year deal worth $7.5 million in total money, this is a nice value for the Broncos and someone who can give you peace of mind when you consider the severity of Javonte Williams' injury, the injury Payton is referring to in that previous quote about "the injury that we're dealing with." Perine may not be the featured back in this offense, but he raises the floor of that position group and allows you to go into the NFL Draft with confidence that you've already added someone who can play significant snaps at that position.

Denver Broncos free agency recap: QB Jarrett Stidham

One of the moves that I think really needs to be emphasized and highlighted is the Broncos' move to go and sign former Patriots fourth-round pick and former Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Stidham signed a two-year deal worth $10 million and although it's not the biggest financial commitment the Broncos made, it's one of the biggest moves.

Once again, look at the words of Sean Payton himself when it comes to the Stidham signing:

"“I think he's young, but I think he's someone that we had a good grade on coming out. We like the player. I think he played well in the two starts he had this year. If you study closely the San Francisco game, he’s smart at the line of scrimmage. There were a couple of directions really with that position and there were a handful of No. 2’s that either I have worked with, or we felt comfortable with. In this case, I think he’s a No. 2 whose arrow is moving in a direction where we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league. The evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us. I think he's someone that's going to be great in the room. He's smart. Quietly, that was an important sign for us.”"

Sean Payton

Those words, especially where Payton says "we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league", are massive. Stidham was signed to be Russell Wilson's backup but also, as we've talked about throughout the 2023 offseason, he's also clearly the Russell Wilson contingency plan. Not often in his career has Russ really had a contingency plan behind him on the roster. The Seahawks carried plenty of solid backups, including NFL Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith, but did they really view Smith as a threat to Russ when they signed him?

Have they ever really drafted anyone to push Russ? I don't think so.

The story with Russ has always been that it's the Russ show, and things are changing pretty drastically under Sean Payton. This move to sign Jarrett Stidham gives you a clear option to turn to, someone the team is hyping up as a future starter in the league. Someone to turn to if 2022 Russell Wilson is back again in 2023. You simply can't afford to have that happen again and not have a different direction you can turn.

Some people are getting a little carried away, thinking that Stidham was brought in to take Russell Wilson's job. I don't think that's going to be the case. At least, not until we see some consistent signs of struggle from Wilson again, if that ends up happening.

Denver Broncos free agency recap: The rest of the backfield

Michael Burton, FB

That's right, the fullback is back in Denver, everyone. Of course, Andrew Beck played some fullback over the last handful of years for the team, but his contributions were few and far between at that position, and he was much more known for his special teams prowess.

Michael Burton is a true fullback, in the sense that he can be a more consistent lead blocker in the running game and offer you a little something as a runner and receiver himself. He's coming off of two years of playing for the Kansas City Chiefs after playing for the New Orleans Saints and Sean Payton in 2020.

Burton was on the field for a lot of special teams snaps for the Chiefs and has done so throughout his career. He played over 200 snaps for New Orleans offensively back in 2020, the second-highest snap count offensively of his entire NFL career. I think Sean Payton has a clear role for him as this free agency class looks loaded with physicality. The Broncos clearly want to run the ball a lot, and they want to set the tone with punishing players.

Tony Jones Jr., RB

When you look at this free agency haul as a whole for the Broncos, you obviously notice a lot of former Saints players and there's a reason for that. Sean Payton discussed it recently.

"Let's talk about the former Saints players. Those are guys that I have a vision for. They're easy reads and guys that were available...The key is to get to the best 90 right now for us. When we're talking about a player, do we have the right vision for what we see this player being?"

Sean Payton

Tony Jones Jr., a former Notre Dame running back, made his way up in the NFL with the Saints and slowly crept his way into more playing time. By the time the 2021 season rolled around, he was a pretty regular piece of the rotation, playing 11-12 snaps per game. He may not make the Broncos' opening day roster, but then again, he might also be one of these players that Sean Payton has a "vision" for.

Denver Broncos free agency: Blockbuster moves on the offensive line

Mike McGlinchey, OT

There was no doubt about the fact that the Denver Broncos had to go and get better on the offensive line in NFL Free Agency. When you don't have a first- or second-round pick in the NFL Draft, you have to supplement in free agency and they did just that by giving offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey a five-year deal worth $87.5 million and $50 million guaranteed. This move was scoffed at by a lot of people who felt like McGlinchey was not as good as that kind of a price tag, but there's also a lot to like about this move.

McGlinchey is one of the better run blocking right tackles in the NFL. He can maul people in the running game and obviously that's a point of emphasis for the Broncos. The high price tag on McGlinchey should not be surprising. Although many Broncos fans would have preferred Jawaan Taylor (who signed for even more money to be the Chiefs' left tackle) or maybe even Kaleb McGary of the Falcons, I think the McGlinchey move is a solid one.

Is he the best pass protecting right tackle in the NFL? No. Is he solid and consistent as an all-around player? I would say so. The question a lot of people have right now is whether or not his weaknesses are going to keep the Broncos in this right tackle purgatory and add another embarrassing contract into the team's infamous history of them at this spot. McGlinchey was made aware of that history and said that he hopes to "put a nice little plug in that hole" going forward.

We'll see if he can do it.

Ben Powers, OG

The other massive move the Denver Broncos made to upgrade the offensive line was signing former Baltimore Ravens left guard Ben Powers. Powers came into the NFL out of Oklahoma where we know they throw the ball as close to 50-60 times per game as possible, or at least that was the case when he was playing there.

All kidding aside, Powers has developed into one of the best pass protecting offensive guards in the league, and the Broncos paid him handsomely for it.

Powers will replace Dalton Risner in the lineup for the Denver Broncos, and leading up to the NFL Draft, this solidifies the Denver Broncos' starting five on the offensive line for the time being. Even if you put the center position in "pencil" for right now, the Broncos could probably feel pretty good about this unit if the season started today:

LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Ben Powers
C: Lloyd Cushenberry III
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Mike McGlinchey

I've seen it thrown out there that the Broncos haven't gotten much better this offseason and I just don't see how you could look at this roster, even just this one area, and actually think that's true.

Denver Broncos free agency: Zach Allen replaces Dre'Mont Jones

The Denver Broncos talked about replacing one pressure player with another when they lost Dre'Mont Jones and added former Arizona Cardinals third-round pick Zach Allen. Allen, a high third-round draft choice out of Boston College in the class of 2019, has really come on for the Cardinals over the last two seasons.

Zach Allen 2021-22, key stats

- 34 QB hits
- 9.5 sacks
- 15 tackles for loss
- 43 QB pressures

Allen's familiarity with Vance Joseph's defensive scheme proved to be a valuable piece in the Denver Broncos' pursuit of him during free agency. That and of course the $45 million deal he received over the next three years, with more than $30 million in guaranteed cash. Allen is going to be expected to line up with DJ Jones -- big-money pickup in 2022 -- as well as some of the young players the Broncos have on that defensive front and really provide balance to the line.

Especially after losing a player like Dre'Mont Jones in free agency (Seahawks), the Broncos had to make sure they added someone that was going to be able to put heat in the quarterback with consistency, and Zach Allen definitely does that.

Denver Broncos free agency: Former Saints at WR, TE

Marquez Callaway, WR

I think it's more than fair to question the Denver Broncos' current situation and depth at the wide receiver position.

Tim Patrick is coming off of a torn ACL in last year's training camp. KJ Hamler is dealing with a recent pectoral injury that will sideline him 4-6 months. Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton appear to be safe from any further trade rumors, but they have been the subject of many such rumors and might be year-to-year as far as the roster construction is concerned.

What is the Broncos' depth beyond that at receiver? It's not good. The acquisition of Marquez Callaway will suffice for the time being because Callaway actually had a great season in 2021, the final year Sean Payton was coaching the Saints. As a matter of fact, he played more snaps that year than any other offensive skill player for the Saints. Callaway brings a combination of big-play ability, size, and chain-moving instincts to the position. He could wind up the Broncos' WR4 this season and play a substantial role.

Chris Manhertz, TE

The Denver Broncos set out to get physical in the trenches in NFL Free Agency, and no acquisition embodies that more than the acquisition of TE Chris Manhertz. Another former Saint (but more recently of the Jaguars), Manhertz is almost strictly a blocker at the tight end position.

He has been in the league for seven seasons and has a whopping total of 24 receptions. How can I tell you a guy is good at blocking without just telling you he's good at blocking? He has basically one reception every 100 snaps he plays as an NFL tight end. Even as a part-time offensive player and part-time special teams player, Manhertz is effective both in pass protection and as a run blocker.

I love this pickup for the Broncos and I think he's going to really help as this team looks to win at the line of scrimmage.

Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR

Hopefully you don't just scroll past this one, because I think Lil'Jordan Humphrey has a story to tell yet this season. You look back at the 2021 New Orleans Saints, the team Sean Payton had in his final year with the team, and you're going to see a number of the players he had playing significant snaps back then now wearing orange and blue.

One of the guys you'll see quite a bit of from that season is Lil'Jordan Humphrey. He averaged over 19 yards per reception for Payton's Saints in 2019 and had a couple of touchdowns as well. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he's got some good size and obviously is going to be able to run this Sean Payton offense easily.

Don't sleep on Humphrey as someone who could end up cracking the 53-man roster when all is said and done.

Denver Broncos free agency recap: Alex Singleton returns

One of the top priorities for the Denver Broncos in free agency was bringing back starting linebacker Alex Singleton, the team's leading tackler in 2022. Singleton paced the Broncos with 163 total tackles, playing in all 17 games but only starting in 12. He finished with six tackles for loss and three QB hits as well as batting down three passes and forcing a fumble.

Simply put, Singleton was all over the field for the Broncos in 2022 whether it was defensively or on special teams, and injuries paved the way for him to have a bigger role throughout the year. The result was that Singleton ended up getting a three-year deal worth $18 million in total money after he signed for less than most late-round draft picks last offseason.

Singleton has had a hard road to this point in the NFL but he's certainly earned his keep as a well-paid starting linebacker.

PJ Locke returns to the flock

The Broncos haven't had the best special teams over the last handful of years, but one player who has managed to stand out on special teams while also getting better every year defensively is safety PJ Locke.

Locke played in 16 games last season and finished with 22 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. You'll recall one of those forced fumbles sealed the Broncos' early win over the 49ers last season. Locke has the potential to play a key role defensively with his versatility to play both safety and in the slot. He has a goal of becoming a starter in 2023 and we'll see what he can do given his top competition for playing time right now will be Caden Sterns and Delarrin Turner-Yell.

Broncos added former Saints draft pick on the defensive line

There are a plethora of former New Orleans Saints players on the roster that have pretty much everything to do with Sean Payton, but the team's signing of defensive lineman Jordan Jackson really has nothing to do with Payton. At least, as far as we know...

Jackson was a sixth-round pick of the Saints just last year and obviously has some really good athletic traits to work with. He didn't play any for the Saints in 2022 but this is exactly the kind of player who could end up surprising in the offseason program. His situation will be interesting to monitor.

Denver Broncos free agency recap: Updating special teams

Tremon Smith, CB/KR

Getting better on special teams was undoubtedly mandatory for this new coaching staff, which got a significant facelift in the coaching department first and foremost. Former special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes was replaced by Ben Kotwica on this Sean Payton staff, along with assistant head coach Mike Westhoff, a special teams coaching legend. The Broncos certainly have the people in place to coach up the special teams, but what about the personnel?

Well, Tremon Smith was one of the team's top priorities in free agency and for good reason. He's been a tremendous kickoff returner and played 78 percent of the Texans' special teams snaps over the last year in total. He also saw his biggest uptick in defensive snaps last year and had a couple of interceptions, four passes defensed, and a whopping three forced fumbles.

This is a guy who brings tons of speed to the table and can really make an impact on special teams, both in the return game as the returner himself but also affecting the opposing return man by jarring the ball loose.

Riley Dixon, P

Here's a reunion you maybe didn't see coming. The Denver Broncos originally drafted Riley Dixon out of Syracuse in 2016 but traded him a couple of years later in favor of Marquette King. We all saw how that worked out...

Dixon has punted for the Giants and Rams since and he's coming off of his best overall year at over 48 yards per punt. Unfortunately, through the years, Dixon has had a lot of kicks blocked. Seven in his career, to be exact. Another unfortunate statistic is that Dixon had less than 27 percent of his punts last year inside the 20. That can be due to a lot of things -- maybe your offense is not setting you up to actually make that happen.

Whatever the circumstances, the pro scouting department and coaching staff obviously felt like Dixon was an upgrade over Corliss Waitman.

Denver Broncos free agency recap: Depth on the offensive line

Kyle Fuller, Center

After the Broncos made huge moves at the right tackle position and at left guard, many figured the next step would be to upgrade the center position where Lloyd Cushenberry has struggled for most of his first three NFL seasons. Up to this point, the team has only made one move to add at the center position, signing former Seahawks center Kyle Fuller.

Fuller actually started nine games for the Seahawks in 2021 when Russell Wilson was still there, so there's going to be familiarity for Russ no matter who is snapping to him. It does seem like the move to sign Kyle Fuller is a vote of confidence in Cushenberry as the starter, but we'll see what transpires in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Isaiah Prince, OT

Few people maybe even realize the Denver Broncos added Isaiah Prince in the 2023 offseason, but he may end up being one of their top backup offensive tackles. Prince was a sixth-round pick out of Ohio State back in 2019 by the Miami Dolphins, and he actually started a pair of games for them in 2019 as a rookie.

He got the chance to start again in 2021 with the Cincinnati Bengals for four games. Is this the kind of player -- signed to a reserve/futures deal -- that's going to help fans sleep at night regarding the tackle depth? No, it isn't, but it's an interesting young player for the team to take a shot on with this new staff in place.