Knowshon Moreno Interested In Signing With Broncos, Dolphins
Free agent running back Knowshon Moreno is eyeing an NFL return and would like to sign with with either the Broncos or Dolphins, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. Moreno spent the first five seasons of his career in Denver before inking a free agent contract with the Dolphins in 2014. After suiting up for just three games with the Dolphins, Moreno suffered a season-ending ACL tear – the second torn ACL of his career – and sat out the 2015 campaign to enable his ailing knees to heal. Moreno insists he’s healthy now, though.
“I plan on coming back,” he told TMZ. “I feel good. I feel healthy. I’m fully recovered. So I’m just doing the things I have to right now, just staying in shape and seeing where that goes.”
While the soon-to-be 29-year-old is interested in another go-around with the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos, who 
took him in the first round of the 2009 draft, it’s unknown if the feeling is mutual. As noted by Jhabvala, the Broncos re-signed rushers C.J. Anderson (four-year deal) and Ronnie Hillman (one-year contract) earlier in the offseason, and Kapri Bibbs, Juwan Thompson and fourth-round rookie Devontae Booker round out their depth chart.
The Dolphins also have a crowded backfield, but after striking out on trying to land high-profile options (Anderson included) earlier in the offseason, they lack an established No. 1 rusher. As of now, second-year man Jay Ajayi looks poised to serve as their go-to ball carrier. Ajayi racked up just 187 yards on 49 carries as a rookie, however, and his production tailed off significantly after a strong two-game showing to begin his career. Miami did invest a third-rounder in Alabama’s Kenyan Drake, though, and Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead are among its veteran choices. Moreno has enjoyed a better career than both, and the ex-Georgia Bulldog says he has plenty more to offer.
“I still have a lot in the tank. Probably too much in the tank. I need to let it out. I’m really excited to get back. I just want to get back to a team atmosphere, helping a team and, most of all, just competing,” he told TMZ.
During the first six years of his career, Moreno missed 33 of a possible 96 regular-season games, but he did fare well when healthy. In Moreno’s most productive season, 2013, he amassed 1,038 yards on 241 carries (4.3 YPC, the same as his career mark), chipped in an impressive 60 catches and added 13 touchdowns (10 rushing, three receiving). Cumulatively, Moreno has rushed for 3,616 yards, hauled in 158 passes and piled up 36 scores (27 rushing, nine receiving).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos GM John Elway On Sanchez, Lynch
The Broncos are the defending champions, but they’re not the odds-on favorites in Las Vegas to repeat. This offseason, the Broncos saw future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning retire and while promising backup Brock Osweiler left via free agency. As if finding a new solution at quarterback wasn’t enough of a challenge for GM John Elway, the team also had to deal with the departure of defensive end Malik Jackson, who inked a six-year deal worth up to $90MM with Jacksonville. 
After an eventful winter and spring, Elway sat down with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report to discuss the tough decisions that he made and the challenges ahead for Denver. Here are some of the highlights:
On the challenge of finding a new quarterback
Elway: There are challenges every year. That’s why this year in free agency and all that, there are challenges every year trying to keep things together. So that’s always a challenge. Was it a big surprise that we were in that situation? Yeah, because I thought…we drafted Brock [Osweiler] when we got Peyton [Manning] because we didn’t know exactly what Peyton was going to be. But also, if [Manning] wasn’t in good shape, we were going to a guy who was going to be here for a long, long time. Now, that didn’t work out, so it was a matter of, you have to fix the issue. There are going to be issues every year.
[RELATED: What will it take for the Broncos to extend linebacker Brandon Marshall?]
On taking his time in the QB search
Elway: Well, the first thing we did is we got Mark [Sanchez] and I feel good about Mark. So by getting Mark—and we’re a lot higher on him than a lot of people are—so once we landed Mark and he was here, we felt better about the situation. It was a matter of bringing somebody in for competition. But of the guys who were out there at the time, there were no difference-makers. So why would I overpay for a guy who wasn’t going to be a difference-maker?
On the athleticism of rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch
Elway: He’s very consistent with the way he throws it, the release, all that stuff. Very consistent and athletic. He can move around.
On Mark Sanchez and whether he fits the Broncos’ offense
Elway: I feel good about Mark. I think he’s got a chance. If a guy is talented who can move around and do different things…he’s had success in the playoffs. He’s been to the AFC Championship Game. He has won playoff games. Those are all things that you wonder about guys who haven’t done it and you don’t know how they will react when they get there. He’s proven he can do that. Has Mark ever been in the perfect situation to prove what he can do? A lot of times, quarterbacks don’t get in the right systems that fit them. That’s a big part of this. So I think this is the type of offense that will benefit Mark and knowing what they did in New York and what they did in Philadelphia. He moved all around. You get him with the right coach in the right system and good people around him and you have a little chance.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Russell Okung Received "Best Deal in the Best Place"
- Broncos offensive tackle Russell Okung sounds like he’s content with his decision to join the organization. When asked if he received the best deal for himself this past offseason, the veteran said he got the “best deal in the best place” (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post on Twitter).
- After not having his fifth-year option picked up, Broncos defensive tackle Sylvester Williams views the slight as motivation. “I have to go out there and prove myself again,” he said (via Jhabvala). “I look at it as it benefited me.”
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Broncos Sign Adam Gotsis
- The Broncos have an agreement with second-round defensive lineman Adam Gotsis, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. As per his slot, Gotsis’ deal comes with a signing bonus of just over $1MM. Gotsis, a Georgia Tech product, is currently sidelined due to the torn ACL he suffered last year.
Extension Candidate: Brandon Marshall
Even if the Broncos can come to an agreement with Von Miller on a massive multi-year deal, the team could see some major changes on defense after 2016.
Four members of the Super Bowl champions’ historically elite unit will hit the open market after this season, and even though the Broncos will have more breathing room in 2017 than they have in recent years, more tough choices are coming.
Those impending decisions include talents like DeMarcus Ware, Darian Stewart and Sylvester Williams. However, Denver’s top defensive priority will likely be Brandon Marshall.
Denver hasn’t invested much at the inside linebacker position as of late, but Marshall
has been one of the league’s best non-rush linebackers since joining the Broncos’ starting lineup in 2014. The 26-year-old ‘backer — who has yet to sign his RFA tender — presents an interesting case for long-term employment despite Denver’s ILB stinginess.
The Broncos didn’t try very hard to retain Danny Trevathan this offseason, as they had higher-priority players to address. In previous years, the Broncos allowed Wesley Woodyard and Nate Irving to join up with AFC South teams on mid-level deals rather than retain them. Trevathan scored a four-year, $24.5MM deal to place him in the upper echelon of inside linebacker deals in terms of AAV. With another strong season and with the salary cap set to rise, Marshall seems likely to surpass that.
Trevathan serves as a good comparison for Marshall since they functioned in similar capacities for the Broncos last season and entered the league in 2012 as Day 3 picks. One key difference between the two players, however, is that Marshall split time between the Jaguars’ 53-man roster and taxi squad in his rookie year. That vacillation delayed his service-time clock, meaning the Broncos avoided both of their starting inside linebackers becoming UFAs in the same year.
Trevathan’s free agency arrived when Miller, Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe were set to hit the market. Denver’s next set of notable expiring deals — the aforementioned defenders and Emmanuel Sanders — don’t present quite the financial matrix that 2016’s contingent did.
The previous year’s logjam featuring Julius Thomas, Orlando Franklin and several others probably appeared more daunting as well. As of this writing, the Broncos stand to possess the NFL’s most cap space in 2017 at $66.25MM. While this number will plummet should Miller sign by July 15, Denver’s brass will likely give more consideration to keeping Marshall than they did to retaining Trevathan.
Like Trevathan, Marshall successfully relocated to the inside after undergoing offseason surgery. Denver’s shift to a 3-4 featured a smooth transition thanks in part to Marshall’s quick adjustment. Already a well-reviewed player as a 4-3 outside ‘backer in 2014, Marshall showed no ill-effects from his foot surgery. In 2015, Marshall racked up 101 tackles and nine stops behind the line of scrimmage, tying him for the team lead with Miller and Wolfe.
While we’re on the subject of comps, it should be noted that Marshall finished with 11 tackles for loss in 2014, placing him third among non-rush ‘backers that season behind Lavonte David and DeAndre Levy. Both David and Levy received top-market extensions last summer. Pro Football Focus tabbed Marshall as a top-12 non-rush linebacker in 2014 and ’15, and a repeat could put him in line for a big payday.
Marshall separated himself somewhat from Trevathan in terms of functionality last season, serving as a three-down linebacker more often. The Broncos deployed their former practice squad talent on 1,120 snaps during 16 regular-season games in 2015, with the slightly smaller Trevathan lining up on 913 in 15 contests.
While the Broncos’ successful 2011 and 2012 draft classes created a glut of UFAs tha
t mostly defected to other teams the past two years, 2013’s draft did not go as well. That stands to provide some additional upcoming flexibility. Only Williams and Kayvon Webster remain on the team from that class, but with Marshall’s free agency being postponed a year, he serves as a de facto ’13 pick.
The Broncos stand a better chance of signing him to an extension as a result.
Denver hasn’t paid notable money for an inside linebacker since re-signing Joe Mays in 2012 on a three-year, $12MM deal. The Broncos benched Mays for an aging Keith Brooking midway into that season and released him before 2013, a campaign that featured XFL survivor Paris Lenon starting at middle linebacker in Super Bowl XLVIII.
The John Elway era has generated the most consistently dominant play from the Broncos in their 56-year history, but it hasn’t involved significant payouts to the linebackers who are not responsible for harassing quarterbacks.
Beyond Marshall, the team’s current landscape at inside linebacker is pretty thin. The Broncos did not draft an ILB last month and are counting on special-teamer Todd Davis to succeed Trevathan. A 2014 waiver claim, Davis logged 139 snaps last season and could profile as the Broncos’ next bargain-bin success story at this position. Needless to say, Marshall will be pivotal to stabilizing this corps.
It could cost as much as $8MM per season for the Broncos to keep their top inside linebacker.
The experience chasm between Marshall and his cohorts could enhance his leverage, should the Broncos not reach an extension before his contract expires. With a monstrous Miller payout likely coming and just $6.01MM in cap space available currently, Marshall may have to wait a bit for his payday.
Marshall’s age won’t be a big factor in his next deal; he’s set to turn 27 in September. Although he is not going to reside on the Luke Kuechly/Bobby Wagner financial tier even with another standout season, his versatility to excel as a 3-4 inside presence or on the outside in a 4-3 scheme makes a $7MM-plus deal per year (the Mychal Kendricks/Sean Lee/K.J. Wright tier) look reasonable.
Levy’s four-year, $33.7MM Lions extension could be Marshall’s target, but he may fall short of that, even if he hits free agency. However, the salary cap rose from $143MM in 2015 to $155MM in advance of the 2016 league year, with the next elevation set to aid the ensuing crop of UFAs’ cause. So, it’s not impossible he rises to the Levy level — no one exactly predicted Malik Jackson would become a $14MM-AAV player going into his contract year — but it’s merely improbable right now.
Trevathan’s $6MM-plus AAV salary probably won’t be sufficient for the Broncos to keep Marshall off the market, but Elway and Co. have excelled at convincing cogs to sign team-friendly deals as the recent in-season extensions for Wolfe and Chris Harris showed. Marshall, though, may be a bit harder to sway, especially after seeing so many of his draft-class peers become UFA-eligible before him.
Hoping for a new deal before the season, Marshall hasn’t signed his $2.55MM second-round tender. He’ll almost certainly sign soon, considering the Broncos hold the leverage with the ability to rescind the tender after June 15 and pay him 110 percent of his 2015 salary, which was $585K.
With the 29-year-old Sanders residing as a key component of the Broncos’ passing game, he looks to be the highest free agent priority, should Denver lock up Miller. But with so many expiring defenders, it might be wise to re-sign a front-seven piece that’s proven to excel in Wade Phillips‘ system.
As the Broncos transition to a new quarterback, keeping as many of their young, established starters from the best defense in team history will be paramount. Such a task will be more easily attained without a franchise-quarterback salary anchoring the payroll.
With Wolfe and Harris having already signed, Marshall meets this criteria as well as anyone.
Photos courtesy USA Today Sports Images.
Von Miller's Deal To Feature $60MM Guaranteed?
- The primary holdup in Von Miller‘s extension with the Broncos will be the guaranteed money over the first two years, Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes. Renck notes the Broncos’ penchant for frontloading contracts to protect themselves in case of down-the-line performance declines — Aqib Talib‘s six-year, $57MM deal that features just $3MM in guaranteed money after this season is a prime example — could bring Miller’s two-year guarantee total to $60MM. That would surpass Ndamukong Suh‘s $59.9MM for the most guaranteed dollars among defenders. Renck also estimates Miller’s per-year payments will be between $18-$20MM. Miller has already been linked to seeking $22MM annually and the Broncos have offered $17MM+, but Renck expects the Broncos’ exclusive franchise tag leverage will bring that number down since Denver isn’t negotiating against other teams like the Giants were with Vernon or the Dolphins were with Suh last year.
Paxton Lynch Should Sign Soon
- Broncos first-round pick Paxton Lynch hasn’t yet signed his rookie contract, but his agent Leigh Steinberg tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that he intends on “getting [the deal] done quickly.” Thanks to the new CBA, rookie signings are a relative breeze, as contracts are essentially slotted values. Lynch should be in line for a four-year deal worth about $9.59MM, with the requisite fifth-year option attached.
Mark Sanchez Underwent Minor Thumb Surgery
- Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez injured his left thumb in the weight room last week, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The 29-year-old underwent surgery on Saturday, but he is only expected to miss “a few OTAs.”
- Broncos tight end Jeff Heuerman says he’s back to 100% on his knee, as Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post tweets. Heuerman, the 92nd overall pick in last year’s draft, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during rookie camp last year and missed the entire 2015 season.
[SOURCE LINK]
Broncos Sign Dekoda Watson
- The Broncos have signed linebacker Dekoda Watson to a one-year deal, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets. Watson appeared in three games for the Patriots last year as he was yo-yo’d on and off of the team’s roster.
[SOURCE LINK]
Broncos Sign Connor McGovern
- Broncos fifth-round pick Connor McGovern signed his rookie contract, as Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver tweets that the guard will receive a $263,900 signing bonus.
[SOURCE LINK]