The Broncos have agreed to free agent deals with defensive linemen Domata Peko and Zach Kerr, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Peko will receive a two-year, $7.5MM contract that includes $3.8MM guaranteed, per Klis (Twitter link). Kerr will also garner a two-year pact, reports Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
Peko, 32, will now leave the Bengals after spending the past 11 seasons in Cincinnati. The former fourth-round pick appeared in 171 games with the Bengals during his time in the Queen City, starting 156 of those contests. Although he’s started every game for the past seven seasons, Peko’s playing time had started to dwindle, as he’d only managed roughly half of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps over the past two years. Peko registered 37 tackles in 2016 while grading as the league’s No. 106 interior defender, Pro Football Focus, which has given Peko disastrous marks for the past four years.
Addressing the defensive line was thought to be a primary focus for Denver this offseason, but Peko and Kerr are the the only defensive linemen the club has added thus far. That’s not for lack of trying, however, as the Broncos were reportedly among the final suitors for Calais Campbell before he signed with the Jaguars. Denver had to ward off other teams in order to land Peko, as the Vikings apparently had interest in the 6’3″, 307 pound defender, tweets Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Kerr, 26, was not tendered a restricted free agent contract by the Colts after appearing in 12 games (four starts) for the club last year. Appearing on nearly a third of Indy’s defensive snaps, Kerr posted 19 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery in his third NFL campaign. Kerr drew interest from the 49ers and Lions before signing with the Broncos, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
Peko is a good fit.
Solid deal.
Kerr will learn a lot from playing with Von Miller, Brandon Marshall