The Broncos face an important offseason under new general manager George Paton. Denver has missed the playoffs for five straight seasons and hasn’t had a winning record since 2016.
The Broncos have a number of needs, particularly on the defensive end, that have to be filled through free agency and then the draft. So how will Paton, a first-time GM, go about the business of shaping the roster?
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To keep you up to date on all that is happening with the Broncos during this free-agency frenzy, we’ve created this tracker to house all the news and analysis you need in one place. It will be updated continually as moves get made, with links to our full reporting on each signing.
The latest: Updated deals around the NFL
Grades: Our reaction to free agency moves
Predictions: Sheil Kapadia’s free-agency forecast
Needs: Holes each team must fill
Spenders: Ranking the salary-cap space available
Fantasy: Implications of skill position moves
March 23: Broncos bring back safety Kareem Jackson
When George Paton last week began laying out the options at safety after the team declined the option on Kareem Jackson’s 2021 contract, he made sure to note that the door was still open to Jackson returning to the Broncos.
Jackson on Tuesday walked back through that door, agreeing with the Broncos on a one-year, $5 million deal. The NFL Network first reported the Broncos had agreed to a deal with Jackson. It’s a move that completes an impressive eight days for Paton when it comes to Denver’s secondary. The Broncos first signed cornerback Ronald Darby to a three-year deal and then struck quickly to bring in former All-Pro corner Kyle Fuller on a one-year deal after he was released by the Bears in a cost-saving maneuver. As he was making those moves, Paton was also putting the finishing touches on a four-year, $61 million extension for Justin Simmons, making the 27-year-old the highest-paid safety in football.
The move to bring back Jackson — at a salary that is roughly half of what he would have made in 2021 had the Broncos picked up his option — ensures continuity at the safety position, with the All-Pro duo of Simmons and Jackson set to play together for a third straight season.
Simmons was clear at the end of the 2020 season that Jackson has had a major impact on his rise as one of the game’s best safeties over the last two years.
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“He’s been such a catalyst for me, man,” Simmons said. “And, obviously, I’m talking about football, but more importantly I just mean as a person. Mentally, just getting through the ups and downs of a season and all the different things I was dealing with and just confiding in him and being able to talk to him openly. He’s been doing it 11 years now, and so he’s kind of seen all the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows of how a season can go and how all these different things can go.”
March 23: Broncos release tight end Nick Vannett
The Broncos released tight end Nick Vannett, a source confirmed to The Athletic, a move that creates roughly $2.7 million in cap savings.
Vannett, signed to a two-year deal during free agency last year, had 11 catches for 95 yards and one touchdown during his lone season with the Broncos. He played in 15 games, starting 11 of them.
The Broncos currently have a tight end group that features Noah Fant (62 catches for 673 yards and three touchdowns in 2020) and Albert Okwuegbunam, who showed flashes of impressive down-the-field talent as a rookie before suffering a torn ACL.
March 22: Justin Simmons re-introduced after signing four-year extension
Within a day of being hired as the Broncos’ new general manager in January, George Paton dialed Justin Simmons.
By the time the two men had ended their phone call, Denver’s star safety felt a surge of optimism about his future with the franchise.
“We had a conversation and it was one where I left the phone and I was like, ‘This is definitely going to happen,'” Simmons said Monday during a news conference that came on the heels of signing a four-year, $61 million deal that makes him the highest-paid safety in football. “We didn’t talk numbers or anything like that. He just said, ‘I’m happy to be here. If you ever need me, call me.’ I just left that conversation thinking, ‘I can’t wait. Whatever it’s going to take, I’m going to be here.’ I’m just thankful it’s happening.”
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Simmons had to wait a year to get the long-term deal he coveted, but he said Monday there was never any doubt in his mind he wanted to remain in Denver. It’s where he started his career after being the final pick of the third round in 2016. It’s where he and his family have created the Justin Simmons Foundation, with big plans to pour even more time and resources into the community they have made home these past five years.
Simmons also made clear Monday that he believes his best football is ahead of him. More importantly, he is convinced the Broncos are in position to end a streak of five straight years without a playoff appearance. His contract situation settled, with a number of individual accolades already in his name, winning remains the only box Simmons hasn’t checked.
“The past five years of being here and being a part of a couple losing seasons, it’s about time to be on the opposite side of that and start winning some football games,” he said. “For me, the challenge moving forward, obviously, is there are a lot of things I can do individually to get better. I don’t even think I’ve personally played my best ball. But what I’m really looking forward to is finding a way for the team (to have) success.”
March 20: Broncos reunite CB Kyle Fuller with Vic Fangio
The Broncos made a splash Saturday by agreeing with cornerback Kyle Fuller, a surprise addition to the free-agent market this week, to a one-year, $9.5 million deal, a source confirmed to The Athletic. The NFL Network was the first to report the deal.
Fuller was officially released by the Bears on Saturday after being unable to find a trade partner for the former All-Pro. Chicago was unable to stomach Fuller’s $20 million cap hit in this belt-tightening offseason. The Broncos were able to bring him in at less than half of what his salary would have been with the Bears.
Fuller has already thrived in Vic Fangio’s defense. During three seasons under Fangio in Chicago (2015, 2017 and 2018), Fuller made 11 interceptions and had 53 passes defensed. The 5-foot-11, 194-pound defensive back was an All-Pro under Fangio in 2018, when he led the league in interceptions (seven) and passes defensed (21). His strength, nose for the ball and comfort in the scheme played a major role in the Bears leading the NFL with 36 takeaways that season.
March 19: Shelby Harris says his contract proves Broncos ‘will take care of you’
Before being reintroduced as the Broncos’ new $27 million man Friday, Shelby Harris was talking to teammate Courtland Sutton in the locker room. The gist of his message for the wide receiver who is recovering from an ACL tear as he enters his fourth NFL season: You could be next.
March 19: Broncos reach four-year, $61 million agreement with Justin Simmons
The Broncos and Justin Simmons agreed to terms Friday on a four-year, $61 million deal that would make the 27-year-old the highest-paid safety in the NFL in terms of average annual salary, a source confirmed to The Athletic. KOA NewsRadio’s Benjamin Allbright was the first to report the terms.
The $15.25 million in average annual value tops the previous high of $14.75 million currently made by Arizona’s Budda Baker. Simmons’ deal will include $35 million in guarantees.
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The deal means that Simmons’ oft-stated desire to remain in Denver and try to bring the Broncos back to the playoffs has become a reality. It means George Paton makes good on the “top priority” he had identified upon getting hired to become the team’s general manager two months ago, locking in one of the team’s core pieces through the 2024 season. Even when the Broncos placed a second franchise tag on Simmons earlier this month, they called it a placeholder, with both sides expressing optimism a long-term deal was on the horizon.
Simmons is coming off a career year in 2020. He had five interceptions (most on the team) and 96 tackles (third) and earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in his career. That came on the heels of a 2019 season in which Simmons made four interceptions and 93 tackles while being named a second-team All-Pro selection.
March 18: Broncos ‘have a plan’ to provide competition for QB Drew Lock
George Paton offered a word of reassurance Thursday for anyone getting antsy about the Broncos’ inactivity within the quarterback market during the opening days of free agency.
“We have a plan in place,” Paton said during the first in-person news conference the Broncos have hosted since the coronavirus pandemic began. “There is free agency; there is a draft; there are trades. There are a lot of ways to acquire a quarterback. Fortunately, we have a quarterback here.”
The Broncos have said they want to bring in competition for that quarterback, Drew Lock, this offseason. But as one free agent after another has come off the board in the opening days of free agency, it’s begged the question: What form will that competition take?
Paton added Thursday, while also introducing new free-agent acquisitions Ronald Darby and Mike Boone, that the Broncos don’t want to “force anything” when it comes to adding to the quarterback room.
“We’ll continue to monitor the market,” he said.
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Free-agency or a trade for a veteran like Gardner Minshew or Nick Foles isn’t the only option. Paton said the No. 9 pick the Broncos hold in April’s draft “is in play for a quarterback.” Paton attended prospect Trey Lance’s pro day at North Dakota State last week and plans to do the same for more of the draft’s top prospects at the position, he said Thursday.
March 18: Broncos rescind Phillip Lindsay’s RFA tender
Phillip Lindsay has only ever played football for a team based in Colorado. That will change in 2021.
“I’m very appreciative for my time with the Denver Broncos,” Lindsay said on Twitter. “As a Colorado kid, I was able to fulfill my dream of playing for my home team. I want to thank my teammates, coaches, staff and everyone else involved in the Broncos organization who made this possible for me.”
“I especially want to thank the fans for all of your love, loyalty, and support during my time,” Lindsay added. “I am very grateful that we have been able to have positive conversations with the Broncos and have mutually come to an agreement that works for both of us.”
March 17: Broncos add former Vikings running back Mike Boone
If the low-round tender the Broncos placed on Phillip Lindsay this week didn’t signal changes at the running back position, Wednesday’s under-the-radar signing of former Vikings’ running back Mike Boone did.
March 16: Broncos place second-round tenders on Tim Patrick, Alexander Johnson
The Broncos will place second-round tenders on wide receiver Tim Patrick and linebacker Alexander Johnson, two former undrafted players who climbed their way to significant roles on Denver’s roster.
The second-rounder tender becomes a one-year, $3.38 million salary if it is signed. Patrick and Johnson are both free to negotiate with other teams. If they sign an offer sheet with another team, the Broncos would have the opportunity to match. If they don’t match, the signing team would have to surrender a second-round pick to the Broncos.
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The second-round tender designation — unlike the low-round tender placed on running back Phillip Lindsay on Monday — all but assures Johnson and Patrick will both be with the Broncos next season. Patrick, who began his career on Denver’s practice squad in 2017, had a career year last season, catching 51 passes for 742 yards and six touchdowns, making the most of his increased opportunity after top receiver Courtland Sutton went down with an ACL injury.
Johnson took over as a starter at linebacker for the Broncos four games into the 2019 season, and he’s tallied 217 tackles since then, tied for 21st in the NFL during that span.
March 16: Broncos exercise option on final year of Von Miller’s contract
The Broncos on Tuesday picked up the option on the final season of the six-year, $114 million deal Miller signed in 2016, a source confirmed to The Athletic. 9News was the first to report the move. The move guarantees $7 million of Miller’s $17.5 million 2021 salary and clears the way for him to play his 11th season in Denver. (9News also reported that the Broncos offered Miller a restructured contract last week that included a pay cut, which Miller declined. The team chose to still keep him at the higher price.)
Miller’s return gives the Broncos a chance to finally see the Miller-Bradley Chubb pass-rush pairing in action again. Because of injuries the past two seasons (Miller’s ankle injury in 2020 and Chubb’s torn ACL in 2019), the duo has played together in just four of a possible 32 games. That’s after they combined for 26.5 sacks in Chubb’s rookie year in 2018.
March 15: Kareem Jackson’s option declined
The Broncos may have vaulted the safety position to the top of their list of offseason needs. Denver on Monday declined the team option on the final year of veteran Kareem Jackson, a source confirmed, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Jackson, who turns 33 next month, signed a three-year deal with the Broncos in 2019 and has been part of a strong safety duo with Justin Simmons, who has been designated with the franchise tag for the second straight season.
Picking up the option would have guaranteed $1.5 million of Jackson’s $10 base salary for 2021, and the Broncos will save $10 million in cap space with the move. It’s money they now may need to use on a replacement for the hard-hitting strong safety.
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March 15: Broncos tender RB Phillip Lindsay
The Broncos have placed a right-of-first refusal tender on restricted free agent running back Phillip Lindsay, a source confirmed, a sign they could be willing to part with the hometown running back this offseason.
The tender designation, which comes with a one-year, $2.1 million salary, means Lindsay could field offers from other teams. If another team signs Lindsay to an offer sheet and the Broncos don’t match it, Denver would receive no draft compensation in return. If Lindsay plays with Denver on the one-year tender, who would become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
Lindsay rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons after going undrafted out of the University of Colorado in 2018. But injuries limited Lindsay to just 11 games last season and he rushed for 502 yards.
March 15: Ronald Darby agrees to terms on three-year, $30 million deal
The Broncos needed another player with experience at a position where the team is trending younger overall and got one Monday when they agreed to terms with former Washington Football Team cornerback Ronald Darby on a three-year, $30 million deal.
Darby, who turned 27 on Jan. 2, has played in 73 career games and is coming off a 2020 season in which he was the Washington’s most consistent cornerback. Darby played almost exclusively on the outside last season, which is where the Broncos needed the most help.
March 15: Broncos sign Shelby Harris to a three-year deal
The Broncos signed their top unrestricted free agent Monday, reaching a three-year deal with defensive end Shelby Harris that is expected to have an average annual value of around $9 million, according to a source.
Harris’ agent, Ryan Williams, announced that Harris was remaining with the Broncos on Twitter.
Paton made clear earlier this month that Harris was a priority in free agency, and for good reason. He has been a key cog in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 defense the past two seasons, notching eight sacks since becoming a full-time starter in 2019. He has also deflected 16 passes during that stretch, and that doesn’t count the two-point conversion attempt by Derek Carr that he knocked down to preserve a Denver win in the 2019 season finale.
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Put simply, Harris, who played on a one-year deal with the Broncos in 2020, has been a disruptive force who the Broncos couldn’t afford to lose.
March 15: New league year approaches with big decisions left to be made
As the legal tampering period began, allowing the Broncos to negotiate with the agents of other teams’ unrestricted free agents, they faced several contract decisions about key players on their own roster.
Chief among them: Von Miller. The Broncos have until Tuesday to decide whether to pick up the option on the final year of the All-Pro linebacker’s contract. Doing so would automatically guarantee $7 million of the $17.5 million salary he is due in 2021. Declining the option would make Miller an unrestricted free agent. The Broncos, with numerous holes to fill as they attempt to build back toward contention, have to decide whether Miller, who turns 32 this month and missed all of last season with an ankle injury, fits into that timeline.
The Broncos also have to weigh the $1.5 guarantee option for safety Kareem Jackson and decide on tender levels for their restricted free agents, including starters Phillip Lindsay, Alexander Johnson and Tim Patrick.
Feb. 25: Jurrell Casey cut after one season
When the Broncos acquired Casey last offseason, he was coming off a stretch of five straight Pro Bowl appearances with the Titans. Denver believed the veteran would be a perfect fit in Vic Fangio’s three-man front, alongside Mike Purcell and Shelby Harris. That vision never materialized. Casey played in just three games before suffering a torn biceps that required season-ending surgery. He did not record a sack.
Casey did not have any guaranteed money left on his deal, and releasing him created $11.8 million in cap space. It also created a need for depth along the defensive line. The starter opposite Casey to begin last season, Harris, is entering unrestricted free agency and should have a decent market for his services.
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Feb. 10: Broncos release A.J. Bouye
Less than one year after acquiring the former Pro Bowl cornerback from Jacksonville, Bouye was released by Denver, a move that created nearly $12 million in cap space.
Bouye had a trying season in Denver. It began with a shoulder injury that put him on injured reserve and ended with a suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. In between, he also missed a game with a concussion.
Bouye, who had no guaranteed money left on his deal, was released early in the offseason, Paton said, so that he would get a head start on visiting with teams in the market for a veteran cornerback. Bouye had visited with the Raiders and the Bengals as of March 15, according to reports.
(Photo of Kareem Jackson: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
