Broncos Sign Emmanuel Sanders
1:57pm: The Broncos have officially announced the transaction.
12:20pm: After he allegedly accepted a deal with the Chiefs, the Broncos officially announced that they have signed former Steelers wideout Emmanuel Sanders, tweets ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Schefter reports that it is a three-year, $15MM deal, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds (via Twitter) that it is worth a maximum of $18MM with escalators.
Assuming he passes his physical, a press conference is scheduled for 1:30 MST, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today.
FA Rumors: Montgomery, Cotchery, Jones
A few free agent notes from around the league:
- The Broncos will meet with free agent center Will Montgomery, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Montgomery was released by the Redskins on Thursday. A seventh-round-pick by the Panthers in 2006, Montgomery had started 16 games in each of the last three seasons in Washington, and graded out as the 14th-best center in football by Pro Football Focus’ metrics. If Montgomery were to sign in Denver, current center Manny Ramirez would move to left guard to replace the departed Zane Beadles.
- Receiver Jerricho Cotchery will visit with the Panthers, writes Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With the loss of both Steve Smith and Ted Ginn, the Panthers receiver depth chart is now headlined by the likes of Tavarres King and Marvin McNutt. Cotchery, 32, had 46 receptions for 602 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
- Receiver James Jones tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he would “love to play for the Carolina Panthers” (via TwitLonger).
- Having failed thus far to add to either its receiving corps or its defensive backfield, the 49ers likely won’t sign any name free agents, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
Broncos Expected To Sign Emmanuel Sanders
SUNDAY, 10:48am: The Broncos intend to proceed with the Sanders deal, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Mike Klis of the Denver Post tweeted that Sanders will take his physical at Dove Valley this morning and is expected to sign a three-year deal.
SUNDAY, 9:08am: In an interesting twist to the Sanders saga, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport writes that Sanders’ agent, Steve Weinberg, had originally accepted a deal with the Chiefs on his client’s behalf. However, Weinberg then shopped Kansas City’s offer to Tampa Bay without telling the Buccaneers that the offer had already been accepted. Ultimately, of course, Sanders agreed to sign with Denver.
Weinberg declined to comment, but there will undoubtedly be more fallout from this development in the coming days. For instance, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star wonders (via Twitter) who the Chiefs might have missed out on because they thought they had Sanders locked up. Paylor notes that Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell both signed with New England on Saturday.
SATURDAY, 8:34pm: A source has confirmed to FOX Sports 1 that the Broncos agreed to contract terms with Sanders, Alex Marvez reports (via Twitter).
SATURDAY, 8:18pm: After losing Eric Decker to the Jets in free agency, the Broncos are expected to fill the void by signing former Steelers receiver Emmanuel Sanders, league sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The ESPN article notes that Sanders is looking for a contract similar to the one Golden Tate signed with the Lions (five years, $31.5MM, $13.25MM guaranteed).
Denver has been the biggest newsmaker in free agency thus far, with high-profile signings of Aqib Talib, DeMarcus Ware and T.J. Ward. Now it seems that general manager John Elway is setting his sights on the offense, and Sanders brings a skill set that figures to be well-utilized by Peyton Manning. The fourth-year receiver from Southern Methodist set career highs in receptions (67), yards (740) and touchdowns (six) in 2013 with the Steelers, starting 11 games.
Sanders’ name had been associated with a multitude of teams since free agency began. Schefter reported that the 49ers were to host Sanders today after being hosted by the Chiefs yesterday. Before that, he’d been linked to or visited with the Jets, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Ravens and Browns.
The Broncos appear to have just under $12MM in cap room before the Sanders signing, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
Extra Points: Raiders, Bills, LaFell, Broncos
Having already added LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck to their defense, the Raiders continue to eye veteran free agents, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Antonio Smith is visiting the club today before meeting with the Rams tomorrow. Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Bills currently have no plans to add a veteran quarterback to their roster, GM Doug Whaley told WGR550 today (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak).
- The Jets have had multiple discussions with Brandon LaFell‘s camp, but no visit has been scheduled for the free agent receiver, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
- Vikings defensive back Jamarca Sanford agreed to restructure his contract last week, reducing his base salary by $750K in exchange for a $400K guarantee and playing-time incentives, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.
- Following the Broncos‘ defensive shopping spree, the team is still in the market for an interior offensive lineman, a wide receiver, and a middle linebacker, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
- The Ravens spoke to linebacker Wesley Woodyard before he reached a deal with the Titans, but Baltimore never got heavily involved, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Examining a few of this week’s signings, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com explains how contract numbers are often artificially inflated when they’re first reported.
AFC Contract Details: Talib, Bills, Conner
Aqib Talib‘s contract with the Broncos features a $5MM signing bonus, a $2MM roster bonus, a $4.5MM guaranteed base salary, and $500K in per-game roster bonuses, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Since Talib has a small signing bonus and his 2015 and 2016 salaries are guaranteed for injury only, the Broncos could essentially cut ties with him for no guaranteed money and a minimal ($4MM) cap hit even after the 2014 season, barring a major injury, tweets Pelissero. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has the breakdown in chart form right here.
Here are a few more specific details on deals signed this week:
- Corey Graham‘s new contract with the Bills can be worth over $19MM, but on the surface, it’s a four-year, $16.3MM deal with $8.1MM guaranteed, says Pelissero (via Twitter). According to Pelissero, the deal includes $700K in annual incentives, plus an extra $100K bonus each season for making the Pro Bowl.
- The Chargers‘ three-year deal with Kavell Conner is worth $2.7MM, with a $270K signing bonus and an escalator worth up to $500K in 2016, tweets Pelissero.
- Jim Dray‘s contract with the Browns features a $900K signing bonus, says Pelissero (via Twitter).
- Pelissero also passes along the details on Chris Williams‘ four-year contract with the Bills. According to the USA Today scribe (via Twitter), it’s worth $13.04MM with $3.025MM in the first year, and is only guaranteed for injury in year two. Pelissero adds in another tweet that there’s a $2.5MM roster bonus due early in 2016 that’s a clear “trigger point” for the deal.
- The Colts signed safety Sergio Brown on Tuesday, and that one-year deal will be worth $1.4MM, with a $300K signing bonus, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- While Keith Rivers‘ new deal with the Bills was reported as a two-year, $5MM contract with half of that amount guaranteed, it looks like it won’t be worth quite that much. Wilson tweets that it’s worth $4.05MM, with a $1MM signing bonus, base salaries of $1.25MM (2014) and $1.6MM (2015), and annual workout bonuses of $100K.
- Michael Hoomanawanui‘s two-year contract with the Patriots is worth a total of $2.4MM, with a $360K signing bonus and $1.1MM in total guarantees, tweets Wilson.
- The two-year, $5MM figure reported for Al Woods earlier today includes incentives, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The defensive lineman’s contract with the Titans features a signing bonus of $1MM, base salaries of $900K (2014) and $2.1MM (2015), and incentives worth up to $500K annually.
Broncos Offered DRC Six-Year Deal, Made Run At Revis
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, before the Broncos signed Aqib Talib, they approached Darrelle Revis‘ camp with a similar six-year, $54MM proposal. However, Revis declined, sticking to his demand for $12MM per year. The timeline of events isn’t entirely clear, since the Broncos reached their agreement with Talib on Tuesday night, while Revis wasn’t officially released until Wednesday.
Perhaps even more interestingly, Florio hears that before pursing Talib or Revis, the Broncos also made a six-year, $54MM offer to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who didn’t accept it. It’s possible that Denver’s offer to DRC didn’t include as much guaranteed money as the team’s agreement with Talib. Still, it’s a surprise that Rodgers-Cromartie would turn down such a seemingly lucrative deal unless the specific terms were very unfavorable
Florio also passes along the financial details on Talib’s contract with the Broncos, which will pay him $12MM in 2014 if he stays healthy, and has base salaries guaranteed for injury only in 2015 and 2016. The contract is more like a three-year, $27MM deal, even though it has the potential to max out at around $57MM.
Contract Details: McCluster, Bradshaw, Cassell
The latest contract details from around the NFL..
- Dexter McCluster‘s three-year deal with the Titans gets him $7.35MM guaranteed with a $3MM bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. While he can earn $12MM over those three years through incentives, it’s valued closer to $9MM, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean. The base salaries are as follows: $1MM, $2.35MM, and $2.275MM (link).
- Ahmad Bradshaw‘s deal with the Colts is a minimum salary benefit contract, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The tailback gets an $855K base which counts as $695K against cap. The deal also has an injury split.
- Jacoby Jones‘ four-year deal with the Ravens has a base value of $12MM and a max value of $14MM, tweets Wilson. The wide receiver has a $2MM incentive clause for catches and $4.5MM guaranteed.
- Matt Cassel gets a $3MM roster bonus Monday and a $2.65M base in 2014 in his new two-year, $10.5MM pact with the Vikings, tweets Pelissero. In 2015, it’s a $4.15MM base with a $500K roster bonus due in March. There’s also $100K without the bonus each year. He also has an injury waiver.
- In Linval Joseph‘s five-year, $31.25MM deal with the Vikings, he gets $12.5MM guaranteed with a $3MM signing bonus, tweets Wilson.
- Jon Asamoah‘s deal with the Falcons is a five-year, $22.5MM deal with $8MM guaranteed, Pelissero tweets. The total includes $500K in per-game roster bonuses each year.
- T.J. Ward‘s deal with the Broncos is a four-year, $22.5MM pact with $7MM due in the first year, tweets Pelissero. Another $6.5MM is guaranteed for injury only in 2015.
- DeMarcus Ware‘s three-year, $30MM deal with the Broncos is front-loaded, with $13MM due in 2014 and $23M after 2015, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports. Ware’s cap numbers are: $9.6MM, $11.6MM and $8.6MM for 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively, adds Corry (via Twitter).
- Austin Howard‘s five-year, $30MM deal with the Raiders has $11.8MM guaranteed, tweets Wilson. The salaries are as follows: $2.9MM, $3.9MM, $4.4MM, $4.9MM, and $5.4MM.
Broncos Sign DeMarcus Ware
5:38pm: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) has the particulars. It’s a three-year, $30MM deal with $20MM guaranteed and a $5MM bonus. Ware will get base salaries of $3MM, $7MM, and $7MM.
3:36pm: Ware has officially signed with the Broncos, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today.
1:00pm: Continuing their defensive overhaul, the Broncos have agreed to sign veteran free agent DeMarcus Ware to a three-year, $30MM deal, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The contract, which will be finalized after Ware takes a physical, includes $20MM in guaranteed money, according to Schefter. That $20MM in guaranteed money is all in the first two years of the pact, says Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Ware, 31, was released by the Cowboys earlier this week due to the $16MM cap number for 2014 on his previous deal. The team discussed the possibility of Ware taking a pay cut, but the longtime Cowboy expected to do well on the open market if the club released him, and he was certainly right. According to Schefter (via Twitter), Ware will earn $13MM in 2014 on his new deal, which is slightly more than he would have earned on his previous contract in Dallas.
Ware, once among the NFL’s elite front seven personnel, is on the verge of turning 32 and isn’t the type of game-changing talent that he once was. However, even if his days of flirting with 20 sacks per season are behind him, the former 11th overall pick is still capable of terrorizing quarterbacks, and figures to make of one half of a formidable pass-rushing duo in Denver, where Von Miller will play on the other end of the line.
The Broncos’ agreement with Ware is the third major splash the team has made on the defensive side of the ball since free agency opened. The club also splurged on the secondary, signing safety T.J. Ward away from the Browns and cornerback Aqib Talib away from the Patriots. With Peyton Manning nearing the end of his career, Denver is clearly in win-now mode, and is going all-in over the next couple seasons in an attempt to win a Super Bowl.
With Ware coming off the board at $10MM per year, veteran pass rushers like Jared Allen, Justin Tuck, and LaMarr Woodley have to be happy, as it should improve their position in negotiations. I wouldn’t expect any of those three to match Ware’s price tag, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter links) that Denver would have made a similar three-year offer for Allen if Ware had turned it down.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Rumors: Jones, LaFell, Mack
The Jets have expressed real interest in Packers free agent wide receiver James Jones, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. There’s no visit scheduled yet, however. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) adds that the Jets want to sign two wide receivers this offseason.
- The Jets have interest in Panthers free agent wide receiver Brandon LaFell, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, there’s no visit scheduled just yet (link). The Patriots are known to have interest and the Broncos are also in the mix.
- Four teams have been in contact with Browns free agent center Alex Mack on various levels, Rapoport tweets. Mack is currently waiting for the frenzy to die down. The Colts and Ravens are among the teams with interest (link).
- Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher will be visiting the Raiders today after his visit with the Seahawks, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter).
- The Ravens would like to re-sign linebacker Daryl Smith but not at his current asking price, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Brandon Spikes and Wesley Woodyard are among other free agent options. Zrebiec also suggests that they could target Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley in the draft.
- The Broncos were interested in defensive playmakers all day yesterday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Before they landed Aqib Talib on a multi-year deal, they tried to get in on Jairus Byrd. Byrd, of course, went to the Saints.
Jared Allen Rumors: Wednesday
Jared Allen almost seemed destined to sign with the Broncos, but their interest in DeMarcus Ware has thrown a wrench into those plans. Instead, the Pro Bowler is looking at some alternatives. Last night we heard that he’s talking with the Seahawks and Bears, but Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com reported this morning that Chicago doesn’t seem too likely for the defensive end. The latest on Allen..
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter links) that the Broncos would have made Allen a three-year offer similar to the one DeMarcus Ware received, if Ware turned it down.
- Contrary to previous reports, the Seahawks haven’t yet spoken to Allen’s camp, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That doesn’t mean Seattle won’t eventually discuss a deal with Allen, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Earlier updates:
- Allen’s agent, Ken Harris, issued a statement today saying that his client hasn’t yet agreed to visit and teams, and isn’t discussing any suitors that have been in contact, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). Harris suggests that there’s a lot of misinformation out there and that “none of the rumors are coming from our camp.”
- Allen wants fair value after a career in which he has averaged nearly 13 sacks per season and if he doesn’t get what he wants, he’s at peace with living his life without football, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.