"Growing Signs" Point To Marshall Missing Game
- Brandon Marshall reinjured his left hamstring during the second half of the Broncos‘ win over the Jaguars, and Troy Renck of Denver7 notes growing signs are pointing to the team’s top non-rush linebacker missing Sunday’s game against the Titans. Recently signed to a four-year, $32MM extension, Marshall became the most notable investment in an inside linebacker in nearly a decade. He missed a game Denver lost earlier this season, against the Chargers in October. Former seventh-round pick Corey Nelson would be in line to start if Marshall sits.
- Some players Broncos worked out three futures-contract candidates on Tuesday: center Michael Brewster and guards Reese Dismukes and Cyril Lemon (Twitter link via Renck).
Broncos Audition 12
The Broncos worked out a dozen players today, including quarterbacks Sean Renfree and T.J. Yates, running backs Bernard Pierce and Zac Brooks, and wide receivers Keshawn Martin and Corey Washington, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Yates, 29, has only started seven games during his regular season career, but has somewhat miraculously managed two playoff starts, both for Houston. Each of the tryouts conducted by Denver today were for futures contract consideration, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS.
NFL Spending By Team Over Last Four Seasons
The NFLPA has released the official data on team spending over the last four seasons. The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that each team must utilize 89% of the salary cap over two four-year periods, 2013-16 and 2017-20. As previously reported, the Raiders are the only team that has yet to satisfy that requirement for the closing period. The CBA also requires the league, as a whole, to spend 95% of the cap, in cash, for the same period. That requirement has been easily met.
Here is the full rundown of every team’s spending in declining order:
Philadelphia Eagles – $613,928,134
Denver Broncos – $587,712,791
Seattle Seahawks – $584,305,975
Green Bay Packers – $583,138,740
Miami Dolphins – $577,975,260
Kansas City Chiefs – $575,541,332
Buffalo Bills – $573,647,850
Chicago Bears – $568,301,610
Cincinnati Bengals – $567,289,411
Baltimore Ravens – $562,425,698
San Diego Chargers – $562,232,116
Indianapolis Colts – $556,335,689
Atlanta Falcons – $550,614,572
New York Giants – $543,787,033
Arizona Cardinals – $543,327,538
Los Angeles Rams – $541,957,711
New Orleans Saints – $539,836,498
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $539,736,102
Minnesota Vikings – $539,162,454
New York Jets – $533,151,519
Washington Redskins – $532,545,662
Pittsburgh Steelers – $530,698,171
Detroit Lions – $530,210,549
Tennessee Titans – $524,505,256
Dallas Cowboys – $523,033,036
Houston Texans – $517,212,166
Jacksonville Jaguars – $516,908,734
Cleveland Browns – $516,158,864
San Francisco 49ers – $514,488,198
New England Patriots – $500,083,836
Carolina Panthers – $495,149,346
Oakland Raiders – $491,433,408
Broncos Place Kapri Bibbs On IR
As expected, the Broncos have placed Kapri Bibbs on injured reserve. The team’s signing of Justin Forsett earlier today was a pretty good indication that Bibbs was done for the year. 
[RELATED: Broncos Add RB Justin Forsett]
Bibbs’ left ankle was actually diagnosed as 2-to-4 week injury, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. However, the team needed his roster spot. Ultimately, the team needed to have at least three running backs available and they could not afford to wait for Bibbs return. Now, they have the newly-acquired Justin Forsett to back up Devontae Booker and Juwan Thompson.
Bibbs, a Colorado State product, appeared in 12 games for Denver this year. In his reserve role, the tailback had 29 carries for 129 yards. He also added two catches for 75 yards and one score.
Broncos Claim RB Justin Forsett Off Waivers
The Broncos have claimed running back Justin Forsett off waivers, according to a source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move once again reunited Forsett with coach Gary Kubiak.
The Broncos were in the market for a running back after losing Kapri Bibbs to injury. Now, Forsett will provide veteran help behind Devontae Booker and Juwan Thompson. Bibbs suffered a high ankle sprain this weekend and the Forsett deal is probably an indication that he’s facing a multi-game absence.
Forsett, 31, was dropped by Detroit over the weekend. Forsett had not played in a game since October and has just 136 rushing yards (on 3.1 per carry) this season. A journeyman for most of his career, Forsett broke out in 2014 with 1,266 yards, eight rushing touchdowns, and 44 receptions (all career highs) in 2014. Unfortunately, he has been unable to replicate those numbers ever since.
Needless to say, expectations have been scaled down for Forsett. If he can be a solid change-of-pace back for the Broncos down the stretch and help guide the team’s younger tailbacks, the Broncos will be happy with the acquisition.
Darian Stewart Contract Details
- Safety Darian Stewart‘s four-year, $28MM extension with the Broncos includes $13MM in fully guaranteed money, per Mike Klis of 9NEWS. He has already received $3.5MM of a $7MM signing bonus, the other half of which he’ll collect March 15. Stewart’s $6MM base salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed, while his $4.5MM salary for 2018 is guaranteed for injury only and will convert to a full guarantee on the fifth day of the 2018 league year.
Jets Notes: Hackenberg, Garoppolo, Raymond
The Jets have a lot of questions to answer at the quarterback position and, at the same time, there are lots of question marks about second-round pick Christian Hackenberg. Hackenberg hasn’t played in any games this season and remains something of a mystery to the Jets.
“I think he’s a developmental player at this point, and there is a lot of talent there. The sky is the limit. But we don’t know yet,” offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said (via Darryl Slater of NJ.com).
Gailey says that Hackenberg has grown in practice, but it is strange that he has not been mentioned as an option in a year where three other QBs have started for the Jets. The Jets could go in a number of directions this offseason, but elevating Hackenberg to starter probably isn’t a viable option.
Here’s more on the Jets:
- Jimmy Garoppolo would be the perfect quarterback for the Jets, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick would never let Gang Green have him, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News opines. Garoppolo is expected to be dangled this offseason and could fetch a high price for the Pats in a trade. However, the Patriots know better than to let their divisional rivals get a promising 25-year-old quarterback. As Mehta notes, Garoppolo’s value is enhanced by an uninspiring 2017 quarterback draft class that will likely include Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky and Clemson’s DeShaun Watson. Also helping his value is that he is due to make only $820K in 2017. In 2018, the team that has him could apply the franchise tag and hold off on giving him an expensive long-term deal.
- The Jets tried to sign wide receiver Kalif Raymond off of the Broncos’ practice squad last week, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. To keep him, Denver bumped his salary. Then, today, they promoted him to the 53-man roster.
- Yesterday, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis responded to the retirement rumors surrounding him.
Could Broncos Land Tony Romo?
Where will Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo wind up this offseason? The Broncos, Jets, and Bears would be the most obvious fits for the Cowboys quarterback, NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal opines. Beyond those teams, the Cardinals could be a possibility if Carson Palmer retires. Meanwhile, the Bills and Texans represent “longshot” landing spots for the veteran. Buffalo already has a QB in Tyrod Taylor, but his contract gives them an out if they see Romo as the better option to win right now. In Houston, Brock Osweiler could use another QB to push him, but they’d probably look to a younger player.
Broncos Promote WR Kalif Raymond
The Broncos have promoted wide receiver Kalif Raymond from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Raymond will now serve as Denver’s new returner, Klis adds, which could be a sign that Jordan Norwood is being squeezed out. 
The Broncos had seven wide receivers on the roster before adding Raymond, so it stands to reason that at least one of the team’s receivers will be bumped from the 53-man roster. Lately, the Broncos have been using Cody Latimer and Norwood as their kick returners with Norwood as the primary punt return man. Now, those duties belong to Raymond, an undrafted Holy Cross product. In the preseason with Denver, he averaged 23.9 yards per kick return with his best return coming on a 41-yarder in the preseason finale.
In other Broncos news, quarterback Trevor Siemian will be sidelined on Sunday, coach Gary Kubiak told reporters. Paxton Lynch will get the start against Jacksonville in his place. In his previous outing, a 23-16 loss to the Falcons on Oct. 9, Lynch completed 23 of 35 passes for 223 yards, a touchdown and an interception. In total, Lynch has hit on 37 of 59 attempts for 393 yards, two scores and a pick this season.
Broncos’ Trevor Siemian Likely Out Sunday
Now on the outside of the AFC playoff race, the 7-4 Broncos will likely be without starting quarterback Trevor Siemian on Sunday in Jacksonville, according to Troy Renck of Denver7 and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Siemian’s left foot is in a walking boot, and he sat out Thursday’s practice as a result.
If Siemian isn’t able to play, the Broncos will turn to first-round rookie Paxton Lynch for his second career start. In his previous outing, a 23-16 loss to the Falcons on Oct. 9, the ex-Memphis star filled in for a banged-up Siemian and completed 23 of 35 passes for 223 yards, a touchdown and an interception. In total, Lynch has hit on 37 of 59 attempts for 393 yards, two scores and a pick this season.
The Broncos haven’t had to force Lynch into action this year because of Siemian’s respectable performance. In his first action as a starter, the second-year man and 2015 seventh-rounder has tossed 15 TDs against seven INTs, also averaging 7.37 yards per attempt and posting an 89.2 passer rating. While Siemian hasn’t been great, he has been an upgrade over the Broncos’ 2015 duo of Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, and he’s coming off one of his best showings. In a 30-27 loss to the AFC West rival Chiefs last Sunday, Siemian went 20 of 34 for 368 yards and three scores. That defeat knocked the Broncos out of the top six in the AFC, though, and the defending Super Bowl champions are now primed to go without their top signal-caller against the 2-9 Jaguars.
Denver will conclude the season with much tougher opponents in the Titans, Patriots, Chiefs and AFC West-leading Raiders, likely making the Jags game a must-win affair. Tennessee, New England, Kansas City and Oakland boast a combined 32-13 record.