Free NFL Agency: Assessing Denver Broncos’ Free Agent Acquisitions

I felt like I was conditioned in the weeks leading up to the free agency to expect little or nothing from the Denver Broncos from the start. There was a lot of emphasis on building service scales through the project and using free agency to find bargains. It certainly didn’t lead me to expect the kind of first week we saw in George Paton and the Broncos, when the free agency opened last week. Boy, were my expectations exceeded.

Let’s take a look at all the significant news that came out last week around the Broncos’ free agency changes, both good and bad, and then give it an arbitrary grade. Notes are fun.

Shelby harris

Having released defensive veteran Jurrell Casey, there appears to be a huge hole opening in with Shelby Harris also scheduled to move on as an unrestricted free agent. Instead, the news was released at the beginning of the legal breach last Monday, that they secured Harris in a $ 27 million 3-year deal.

“That’s a big part because, honestly, if I had to go to a different team, they would have stayed here,” said Harris. “There would have been a lot of travel. Denver is at home. Here’s the best part about it – we made it perfectly clear to the Broncos that we wanted to be here, and they made it perfectly clear that they wanted me here. That’s all you want as a player – to feel wanted and appreciated. “

At the end of the day, family is everything and he wanted to keep his family in Denver and continue playing in Denver as well. It also helped that the Broncos made a deal that is worth signing. This is a nice change in the process of how John Elway used to manage things on the side of the salary cap.

The Broncos’ defense is also better for him.

Kareem Jackson

Denver declined the contract option of veteran security guard Kareem Jackson, who sent him to the free agency. This opens up a considerable hole in the secondary, but there are reports that the team would like to bring Jackson back to a cheaper deal, if possible.

These negotiations will take a while, as Jackson will likely try to see what his market is before returning to the table. For now, this is a loss for the defense.

Von Miller

I will be honest here. The deadline for Von Miller’s option was the scariest moment for me as a fan. Miller is aging and his limit is high, but there is simply no substitute for his talent. Bradley Chubb is the second best edge rusher on the team and is still not as good as the “old” Von. I know that we will have to say goodbye to Von soon, but this was not the year I wanted to write about it.

So when news broke last week that the Broncos decided to choose Miller’s option, I was elated and relieved. The Broncos’ defense is definitely better with Von Miller in it.

Ronald Darby

Denver’s first big free agent splash was, predictably, in the cornerback, where they had the biggest holes to fill in the list. Ronald Darby also did not get a big contract. A three-year, $ 30 million deal is quite reasonable for an initial cornerback.

When asked about Darby, GM George Paton went back to the things he saw of him when he examined him in college.

“I looked at Ronald in the state of Florida and [he is] very talented, obviously, ”explained Paton. “Really natural coverage skills are emerging. He has had a good career so far. He faced some adversities along the way with injuries, but what I like about Ronald is that he played in Washington this year and played 94 percent of the pressure on defense, which is more than any corner in the National Football League. He started 16 games and played at a high level. They were second in the league in defense of passes and comparing him to the other corners at the free agency, we thought he had the best skills of pure coverage from any corner. Talking to the coaches, he really fits what Vic wants. He can play man, he can play zone, he can match, he can press and he can really run. Since Ronald is in the league, he is third in the NFL in deflections of the pass, so he gets his hands on a bunch of balls. Making our history of players who are not here and from other teams, we make a lot of history, and all that came from Ronald is that he is a ‘glue guy’ and he brings the juice. He’s a hard worker and will fit the culture we have with the Denver Broncos. Ronald, we are happy to have you here. “

Given the secondary status, adding Darby is definitely an improvement for the defense.

Phillip Lindsay

On Thursday, the Broncos added a running back to Michael Boone. After giving Phillip Lindsay an original round proposal, the Broncos and Lindsay reached an agreement to just split up. This freed Lindsay to sign with another team. Ultimately, he chose the Houston Texans in a deal similar to what he would have done if Denver had given him a second round of bidding.

It is always difficult to see a fan favorite leave, but Lindsay plays in a position that is really not that important and the team has prioritized its spending elsewhere. It stinks, but that’s usually how it works in the NFL.

Still, we will count this as a defeat for the attack, as I don’t think Boone will be as good on the pitch as Lindsay was in his three seasons here.

Michael Boone

However, what happens with Boone is that he also plays against special teams. Boone is a player that Paton has known well since he helped hire him for the Minnesota Vikings as a free college agent.

“Mike Boone – I’ve been with Mike for the past three years with the Vikings,” said Paton. “Mike Boone is a self-made man. Free agent from Cincinnati. We hired him as a running back, obviously. He won the team playing special teams. Four stages – Played four stages with him on special teams and he is one of the best players on special teams for the Vikings. He was playing behind [Vikings RB] Dalvin Cook, so he didn’t have a lot of opportunities, but when he got the opportunity, he really produced it. I think he will help our room. He will add some special teams to the offensive side of the ball, which we lack. I’m really excited to have Mike Boone here. “

The problem with Boone’s ability to play against special teams is that the Broncos lost their most recent special teams, ace Joe Jones in the free agency. He remains without a contract, so there is a chance that he will come back, but getting another solid special coach helps fill some of those at this stage of the game.

I would rate this move as positive for special teams, despite the negative impact we can see on the offensive side of the ball.

Justin Simmons

The Broncos franchise marked Simmons before the free agency and the rumor was that they wouldn’t be able to close a deal before the agency started, so Simmons wasn’t even on our radar when the news came up last week that they reached an agreement long term with him.

It was for a lot of money too. The four-year contract is worth $ 61 million and makes him the highest-paid safety in the league. Simmons will be worth every penny, as he has the longest snap sequence in the NFL and is an excellent security too. And he would like to start winning again.

“Having the individual accolades is great, but this is a team effort, a team game,” said Simmons on Monday. “In the past five years, being here and being part of some lost seasons, it’s time to be on the opposite side and start winning some football games. I find the challenge for me to move on – obviously, there are many things I could do individually to improve, echoing what Coach Vic said. I don’t think I even played my best ball in person. What I really hope is to find a path to the team’s success. Individually, there are things I can do to improve, but what can I do from the team’s point of view defensively? How can I push the guys offensively? How can I be sure that we are competing at the highest level every day and ensuring that we are doing things week after week? When it comes to that, we are winning the games played instead of just playing. I think that’s where we’ve been for the past two years. I am very excited because I know that it falls on my shoulders as the leader of this team and in defense. I’m really excited for that. I have never shied away from opportunities and this is a big one. I’m ready for that. “

This long-term business is definitely a victory for the defense and a victory for the franchise as a whole.

Kyle Fuller

A move that no one expected was when news suddenly appeared that the Chicago Bears was launching the cornerback Kyle Fuller and the Broncos were immediately reported as very interested in signing him. And they did it two days later.

The one-year deal is worth $ 9.5 million, which is a pittance if they end up getting the same Fuller that flourished under Vic Fangio when he commanded the defense early in Fuller’s career. Fangio is clearly happy with this change.

“As you all know, we were together for four years in Chicago and Kyle continued to improve as long as we were there,” explained Fangio. “Ultimately, in the last year that we were together there, he had a season in the Pro Bowl, where he was there at the interceptions, leading the league or close to it. He had a lot of [passes defensed] that year. The combination of the two led the championship in 2018. He is a guy who will intercept and hit the corner. We will do everything we can to get Kyle back to his 2018 form. I know he is excited to be here. He is a very good person and a good teammate, which is nice to have and add to your building. We are thrilled to have you. “

A week ago, the whole conversation in Denver revolved around cornerbacks and quarterbacks. Now, at least on paper, it looks like cornerbacks may be one of the strongest position groups. This is definitely a big win for the defensive side of the ball.

Broncos free agency grade

One theme that kept coming up as I reviewed all the major free agent moves that the Broncos made last week is how focused on defense it was. The big defeat (Jackson) could end up being a victory with his return to a lower contract rate.

I didn’t even mention the second round proposals that the team put on linebacker Alexander Johnson and wide receiver Tim Patrick. This defense is looking like a Top 3 unit if they can get everything together next season.

This leaves the offensive side of the ball. The jury is on Drew Lock. It will be a big risk to go back with him, since he was ranked last or close to last place in all significant categories, and with the loss of Phillip Lindsay there is definitely doubt. I almost expected the attack to be the focal point again in the NFL Draft.

As for my grade for the Broncos in the first week of the free agency, I’m going to give a predictable ‘A’ here. Each move marks a box or just makes business sense. How would you rate the Broncos as a free agency so far?