The Denver Broncos’ latest free agent signing, on the surface, appears to be a replacement for Phillip Lindsay, but under the surface, it could be for another reason that goes unnoticed by football fans.
Mike Boone, who has played for the past three seasons for the Minnesota Vikings directly under the new Broncos GM, George Paton, signed a two-year contract with Denver on Wednesday for Chris Tomasson’s St. Paul Pioneer Press.
“[The] Mike Boone’s breach of contract with the Broncos. In 2021, [he] receives a $ 1 million guaranteed salary and a $ 1.6M signing bonus for a guaranteed $ 2.6M. In the second year, he receives $ 1.25 million unsecured. He has incentives that can make the deal worth up to $ 4.5 million in two years, “tweeted Tomasson.
What happens next for the Broncos? Don’t miss any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our FREE newsletter and receive the latest Broncos news in your inbox daily!
With the Broncos giving Lindsay the original round of the RFA contest, the conversation is certain that Boone is running for second place in running back. To be sure, Boone has some experience.
In 2019, he was available in all 16 games and started two, running for 273 yards and three touchdowns, including his 148-yard performance at the end of the season against Chicago.
However, they are special teams where Boone has done most of his work. In 2019, he played 221 snaps from special teams, and in 2020, he played 235.
The Broncos haven’t had a special gunner in a while. Remember the days when David Bruton and Kayvon Webster played for the Broncos. These two defenders certainly contributed to the defense, but it was the special teams that shone.
Interestingly, Boone has a forced fumble on his credit. This happened in a special team game in Week 4 of the 2020 season. Against the Houston Texans, he took the ball back from player DeAndre Carter, which the Vikings recovered.
That move, which took place at 1:18 in the first quarter and gave the Vikings the ball on the Texans’ 35-yard line – and led to a field goal – resulted in Boone receiving special recognition: He was named the Special Teams Player of the week’s NFC.
Pieces like this may well explain the main reason for this signature. The Broncos’ special teams have not had owners for some time. If Boone can help with that, it can only be a good thing.
Of course, Boone will have his chance to snap when he runs back. But this may not be simply about replacing Lindsay. This signature may be more to give a boost to special teams.
It’s easy to forget the importance of special teams until you realize when it’s a problem. And special team coach Tom McMahon has been criticized by Broncos fans several times in recent seasons.
But if Boone can provide the answer in a scorer for special teams, that can only be a good thing. The Broncos have the kicker and the punter, but the top scorer is still a necessity. Let’s see if Boone can be the top scorer.
Follow Bob on Twitter @BobMorrisSports.
Follow the Mile High Huddle on Twitter and the Facebook.
Sign up for Mile High Huddle on Youtube for daily Broncos live streaming podcasts!