Broncos, OT Donald Stephenson Agree To Terms
WEDNESDAY, 8:55am: Stephenson is signing a three-year, $14MM contract, with $6MM fully guaranteed, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
TUESDAY, 9:52pm: Stephenson will earn around $5MM annually, according to Mike Klis of 9 News, who rightly notes that that salary is starter-level money.
8:51pm: Free agent offensive tackle Donald Stephenson has agreed to sign with the Broncos, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link) hears that it’s a three-year pact. Stephenson will be able to officially join Denver when the new league year begins on Wednesday.
Offensive line was a problem area for the Broncos all season, especially after starting left tackle Ryan Clady went down with a torn ACL during training camp. Ryan Harris held his own at left tackle, and veteran guard Evan Mathis brought a stabilizing presence, but it’s not a surprise that Denver is interested in bringing in more reinforcements — in addition to agreeing to a deal with Stephenson, the Broncos have reportedly also shown interest in Cardinals free agent Bobby Massie.
Stephenson, 27, opened the season as the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, but eventually lost that job to former first overall pick Eric Fisher. He also saw action at right tackle, and ended up starting seven total games on the season. Stephenson ranked as PFR’s No. 14 available offensive tackle.
Where exactly Stephenson will play is an open question, as Clady’s status (both injury- and contract-wise) is unclear. If Clady agrees to rework his contract (as he says he is willing to do), he’ll probably be back on the blind side. The Broncos have a combination of Michael Schofield and Ty Sambrailo at right tackle, but Stephenson could be an improvement at that spot. Harris, meanwhile, is also a pending free agent.
Agreeing to sign Stephenson isn’t the only offensive line transaction Denver has made today — the club also released veteran guard Louis Vasquez.
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FA Rumors: McLeod, Vernon, Steelers, Sweezy
Safety Rodney McLeod is one of the top young safeties set to hit the market today, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that the Ravens are a “strong contender” for the Rams’ free-agent-to-be.
While the Ravens could use some help at free safety, since Kendrick Lewis didn’t prove in 2015 that he’s the long-term answer and Lardarius Webb doesn’t have much experience at safety. But the idea that Baltimore would make a play for someone like McLeod is surprising, since the team typically doesn’t foray too aggressively into free agency, and doesn’t have a ton of cap flexibility.
As we wait to see if anything comes of the Ravens’ apparent interest in McLeod, let’s check in on a few other free agent rumors….
- In an interesting piece for TheMMQB.com, defensive end Olivier Vernon, one of the top free agents available, acknowledges that he “probably” won’t be back with the Dolphins in 2016.
- With Heath Miller having retired, the Steelers are exploring the tight end free agent market, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, Coby Fleener, Ladarius Green, and Jared Cook are names worth monitoring for Pittsburgh.
- Over a half-dozen teams remain in the mix for offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who tweets that the Broncos are worth keeping an eye on.
- Offensive tackle Bobby Massie has received interest from the Bears and Giants, but his market isn’t up to $8MM per year yet, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. A Monday report indicated that Massie could end up landing a deal in that range.
- The Rams are intent on trying to re-sign defensive end William Hayes, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Per La Canfora, Hayes has a “nice market,” but wouldn’t rule out a return to the Rams.
- The Bears resumed negotiations on Tuesday with tight end Zach Miller, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Miller’s reported asking price of $5MM per year, which seemed outrageous a few weeks ago, doesn’t look quite as far-fetched after Dwayne Allen got $7MM+ annually from the Colts.
Latest On Brock Osweiler
Brock Osweiler looks to be the Broncos’ quarterback of the future following Peyton Manning‘s Sunday retirement, but there’s just one problem — Osweiler is a free agent. Denver was thought to be negotiating with Osweiler, but according to James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link), the Broncos have not spoken to Osweiler’s reps since making an initial three-year offer several days ago.
That offer was said to be worth roughly $39MM — obviously, without knowing the structure or the guarantees, it’s hard to judge how realistic that potential contract might be. But it was always going to be hard to judge Osweiler’s value as a whole, given that he’s started only seven games during his four-year career. Each of those starts came in 2015, but the Broncos (and other clubs) can’t be sure of what they’re getting in Osweiler.
One other team that has expressed interest in Osweiler is the Texans, who are expected to make a “competitive” offer to Osweiler. Per reports, $15-16MM might be the figure Osweiler is targeting. Of course, like any free agent, he cannot officially sign with another club until tomorrow afternoon, but he can agree to terms between now and then.
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Free Agent Rumors: Broncos, Massie, Daniel
Now that defensive lineman Malik Jackson has agreed to join the Jaguars, we can expect the Broncos to make a serious run at Cardinals free agent right tackle Bobby Massie, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Massie could reportedly command north of $8MM per season, so it was unlikely that Denver would have been able to afford both Jackson and the offensive tackle.
Here’s the very latest free agent news:
- Even though the Eagles have re-signed Sam Bradford, the Eagles could still pursue Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Eagles coach Doug Pederson, who is the former OC in KC, is quite fond of Daniel.
- The Vikings are not close on a deal with guard Mike Harris, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Harris’ camp has been looking for roughly $5MM on a two-year deal while the Vikings are offering $3.5MM over two. Harris is currently planning on testing the market.
- The Bears are one of “multiple” teams that have expressed interest in defensive end Akiem Hicks, per Kevin Fishbain of Pro Football Weekly (on Twitter).
- Four teams have expressed varying degrees of interest in linebacker Demario Davis, a source tells Seth Walder of the Daily News (on Twitter).
- The Bills‘ signing of Richie Incognito means that Buffalo will not be adding free agent guard Jahri Evans, Peter Schrager of FOXSports.com (on Twitter) hears. The Bills hosted Evans on a visit on Monday. Evans has started 153 games for the Saints dating back 2006 and earned four First-Team All-Pro selections.
Broncos Cut Owen Daniels, Aaron Brewer
The Broncos released veteran guard Louis Vasquez today, but he’s not the only player on the chopping block in Denver. According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS (via Twitter), the Broncos have also released tight end Owen Daniels. Troy Renck of the Denver Post adds (via Twitter) that long snapper Aaron Brewer has been cut as well. The team has since confirmed all three moves.
[RELATED: Broncos place Peyton Manning on reserve/retired list]
Daniels, who had two years left on his contract, would have had a cap number of $4.5MM on Denver’s books in 2016. By releasing him, the Broncos trim that figure by $2.5MM to $2MM, and avoid paying him a $500K roster bonus that had been due next week. The veteran tight end, who will turn 34 in November, caught 46 balls for 517 yards and three touchdowns during his lone season in the Mile High City.
As for Brewer, he had served as the Broncos’ long snapper since the 2012 season. Any cap savings Denver creates as a result of cutting Brewer would be extremely marginal, so it appears the team is parting ways with him for other reasons.
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Broncos To Release G Louis Vasquez
The Broncos will make a cap-clearing move, releasing veteran guard Louis Vasquez, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Vasquez will immediately become an unrestricted free agent once the move is made official.
Vasquez, who turns 29 in April, was a key piece of the offensive line that helped the Broncos win the Super Bowl, having started all but one game for Denver over the past three seasons, primarily spending his time at right guard. However, he had been set to count for $6.75MM against the team’s cap in 2016. Denver will create $5.5MM in cap savings by releasing him.
The Broncos’ offensive line will be undergoing some changes this winter, with Vasquez departing and fellow starting guard Evan Mathis potentially on his way out as well. Mathis has contemplated retirement, and isn’t under contract with Denver for 2016 anyway.
While Vasquez’s release will create some cap flexibility for the Broncos, perhaps to use on a new deal for quarterback Brock Osweiler, the club apparently won’t be putting that space toward an extension for Malik Jackson — the standout defensive lineman appears set to join the Jaguars.
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Free Agent Rumors: Osweiler, Texans, Ivory
The Broncos and Texans are shaping up as the two primary potential landing spots for free agent quarterback Brock Osweiler, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Broncos have reportedly offered Osweiler a three-year contract worth ~$39MM, but the Texans are also expected to make a competitive offer. Could they offer up more than Denver? While we await the answer, here’s more of the latest free agent news:
- Chris Ivory is on the Texans‘ radar as the new league year approaches, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Ivory, who will celebrate his 28th birthday in a few weeks, set career highs last season in carries (247), rushing yards (1,070), and total touchdowns (eight). If the Jets do not retain Ivory, he will stand as one of the more appealing free agent running back options of the offseason.
- The Vikings are not pursuing Browns free agent tackle Mitchell Schwartz, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). It was reported on Monday that the Vikings were pursuing Schwartz along with the Buccaneers, Giants, and Falcons. Since the Browns took Schwartz in the second round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in and started 64 straight games. For his work last season, the 26-year-old ranked sixth out of 77 qualifying tackles by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required).
- Marcus Sherels wants to return to the Vikings and the interest is mutual, though it has to be at the right price for Minnesota, Tomasson tweets. However, there’s no agreement yet and a few teams are eyeing the cornerback.
- The Saints are working to bring back running back Tim Hightower, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Hightower started three games for the Saints last year after being years removed from the NFL.
- Linebacker Junior Galette took to Twitter earlier today and shot down a follower’s suggestion that he should sign a deal for the veteran’s minimum with big incentives. Galette also restated his interest in playing for Washington.
Free Agent Rumors: RBs, Trevathan, Giants
The Titans reached an agreement on a trade to acquire DeMarco Murray on Monday, and before the week is out, their division rivals in Houston may have a new running back of their own. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Texans are among the teams with “strong interest” in free agent back Lamar Miller. Rapoport adds that the market for the top running backs available, including Miller, Doug Martin, and Chris Ivory, could heat up today.
Here’s more from around the NFL on free agents:
- The Bears and Titans are among the teams that will make it challenging for the Broncos to re-sign free agent linebacker Danny Trevathan, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Trevathan previously said that he expected to receive interest from his old head coach John Fox in Chicago.
- The Giants have been making a push in recent days to re-sign defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and are continuing to talk to him, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. There is plenty of competition though, per Raanan, who notes that the market has been “aggressive,” with a handful of suitors in play.
- While the Giants remain in the hunt for JPP, it doesn’t appear they’re in the mix for defensive end Mario Williams at this time, per Raanan, who adds that Big Blue has inquired on free agent defensive end William Hayes.
- Free agent wide receiver Travis Benjamin has “piqued the interest” of the Texans and a few other NFL teams, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
FA Rumors: Osweiler, Sean Smith, Adam Jones
The latest rumors on a slew of free agents-to-be:
- The Broncos have offered quarterback Brock Osweiler a three-year contract worth ~$39MM, according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post. That runs a bit contrary to a weekend report that stated the Broncos had offered $45MM for three years.
- Seven teams have expressed interest in Jets running back Chris Ivory, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). The Buccaneers and Raiders are among those clubs, per a report from earlier tonight.
- The Raiders “have reached out” to Chiefs corner Sean Smith‘s camp, per Scott Bair CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). Smith is the fourth high-profile pending free agent whom the Raiders have been connected to today, joining Ivory, Malik Jackson and Kelechi Osemele (links to Jackson and Osemele stories: 1, 2).
- Bengals veteran corner Adam Jones has several potential suitors, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who lists the Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Raiders, Cowboys and Vikings as teams that could end up with the 32-year-old. The Bengals would like to retain Jones, per Florio.
- The Bears are expected to go after Patriots defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Bears general manager Ryan Pace and player personnel director Josh Lucas were in the Saints’ front office when they drafted Hicks in 2012, Biggs notes.
- The Giants, Eagles, Dolphins and Bears are interested in Chargers corner Patrick Robinson, reports ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link).
Jags, Bears, Raiders Interested In Malik Jackson
With the legal tampering period underway and free agency drawing ever closer, Broncos defensive lineman Malik Jackson is on the verge of a significant payday. It’s just a matter of which team will pony up for the 26-year-old. While the reigning Super Bowl champions are trying to retain Jackson, having offered him anywhere from $11MM to $12MM per annum as of last week, they’re certainly not the only club intrigued by the four-year veteran. In fact, the Jaguars, Bears and Raiders have “expressed serious interest” in Jackson, reports Mike Klis of 9News.
Based solely on cap space, the defense-needy Jaguars have the best chance to sign Jackson. The Jags have an NFL-high 
$82.24MM of spending room. Oakland, Denver’s AFC West rival, is in third at over $60MM. The Bears rank seventh at just under $47MM, while the Broncos lag well behind in the $9MM range.
The Raiders and Bears have obvious connections to Jackson through their head coaches. Oakland’s Jack Del Rio was the Broncos’ defensive coordinator during the first three years of Jackson’s career (2012-14), and the Bears’ John Fox was Denver’s head coach during that time span. Jackson logged little playing time as a fifth-round rookie while Fox and Del Rio were at the helm, but he partook in back-to-back 16 game seasons in his next two campaigns and amassed nine sacks. The 293-pounder has shown great versatility since entering the league, having thrived in two 4-3 positions (defensive tackle and end) and as a 3-4 five-technique end.
Jackson recorded a personal-best 45 tackles and five sacks during his third straight 16-game regular season in 2015-16, finishing 16th out of Pro Football Focus’ 123 qualifying interior defenders in overall performance (subscription required). PFR’s Luke Adams ranks Jackson the second-best free agent in this year’s class.
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