Report - Denver Broncos Extend D.J. Williams

by MGM on Sep 6, 2008 9:09 PM MDT Comment 29 comments

Hat tip to MGM for this FanPost. This is great news for the Broncos. They needed to reward Williams for not only being a great player on the field, but for all the moving around they put him through. Williams, who has been unhappy with all the position changes, kept most of his disdain under wraps and today the Broncos have seemingly rewarded him. Congratulations to Williams, the Broncos, and the fans, who will get to see D.J. become one of the best Linebackers in the NFL! -- TSG

Hey all, just wanted to share the word that D.J. has apparently signed an extension with the Broncos for 5 years. I think this is a great way to spend our cap space- lock up one of our premium defenders before he hits free agency this winter and ensure that he doesn't drive up his price even more with his sure-to-be stellar upcoming season.

Adam Schefter reports on NFL.com -

"During the offseason, Denver revamped its linebackers. Now the Broncos are revamping one of their stalwart linebackers’ salaries. Saturday night, Denver signed linebacker D.J. Williams to a five-year, $32 million extension that included $13 million in guaranteed money.

Williams had been scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Instead, he now will become the highest-paid linebacker in NFL history without a Pro Bowl appearance."

Now let's bring on the Raiders!!

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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This is great news...

Now all we have to do is find a solid MLB in the draft and we’ll be set at LB!

I wish Woody Paige was our coach!

by bcfunk on Sep 6, 2008 9:12 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Good News.

Thanks for the speedy post.

On the other hand, moldy faders stink….styg50 Sept.1, 2008

by firstfan on Sep 6, 2008 9:19 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Good to hear.

I am really glad that we got him taken care of so as to avoid dealing with this throughout the season.

by weazel on Sep 6, 2008 9:24 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

good deal

The Broncos are pretty smart about how they structure contracts so I expect that this is ‘cap-friendly.’ Cap logic confuses the heck out or me, but I believe they like to pay guaranteed money up front in the form of a bonus and use the longer length of the contract and its graduated payouts to reduce the cap load.

However, the cap numbers I’ve seen for last year aren’t particularly troubling. We still have some upcoming hits, for departed players such as Henry, but our recent recent fiscal conservatism has left us in pretty good shape.

by Colinski on Sep 6, 2008 9:52 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

MORE CAP STUFF

Denver’s cap

by Colinski on Sep 6, 2008 9:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Linbackers

Is there even another linebacker we want to keep for next year?

by Awesome, Austin on Sep 6, 2008 10:08 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

woodyard, to develop

and maybe boss, if he stays healthy and locks down the job. we’ll see. a need position for next year’s draft is mlb, definitely

by davecheffy on Sep 6, 2008 10:48 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

what positions can woodyard play??

by RiG on Sep 7, 2008 3:17 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

future of Webster and Winborn

I assume you mean the vets. I expect Koutouvides will be worth keeping, along with Woodyard and Larsen, because they’re just too good at STs, besides their other contributions — and I wouldn’t assume that Woodyard doesn’t eventually become a starter.

If, as many people here hope, we draft some help at LB in next year’s draft then we’ll need to make some room, of course. I don’t envision either Webster or Winborn as part of a rebuilt Broncos defense. However, I think both could stick around for a while and I wouldn’t pull up the welcome mat just yet. Webster provides some depth at SLB, among other things, and Winborn is versatile as well as being a good ST player.

by Colinski on Sep 7, 2008 5:53 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

D.J.'s numbers this season

Guru, thanks for the hat tip, but I really wanted to thank you for creating and maintaining such a vibrant and insightful community here at MHR (not to mention your own superb analysis). Although I haven’t written or reported much on MHR, the inviting and respectful manner with which all of the members and contributors interact is, I think, a direct reflection of the tone you set.

As far as DJ is concerned, I think he is due for the Pro Bowl berth that Schefter mentions is lacking from his resume. What kind of numbers do you think he might put up in this system, where he is freed up to blitz more often? 5-7 sacks? 100 tackles? I think the league will notice him and give him his due now that he is back to his natural position… not to mention the experience he gained from having been a middle-linebacker last season. That should certainly help him when he shifts to the middle of the field for passing downs this season.

by MGM on Sep 6, 2008 10:19 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I still think

he was screwed outta ROY

by broncfanstuckinsd on Sep 7, 2008 2:36 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

YEAH!!!!!

Great news!!!!

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08

I got a high ankle sprain in college and it still hurts! ~ TSG 8/13/08

by Zappa on Sep 6, 2008 10:36 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

DJ Williams replica jerseys and every color for $30 get one now!

I saw this last week and its great they extended him

http://www.denverbroncosproshop.com/main_objgroup.cfm?nCategoryID=8&nObjGroupID=69&sAuxTitle=Jerseys

he is one of my favorite players, i picked up the orange one since i have a blue bailey and white cutler jersey.

GO BRONCOS and GO DJ now thats DJ….. haha

by KevinJames3 on Sep 6, 2008 10:57 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I grabbed one when he was a rookie

and have been wearing it every Sunday since. I was nervous his departure would lead me to retiring the jersey, but it looks as if I have a few more years of rockin it. Excellent news!

by SlamDunkTheFunk on Sep 6, 2008 11:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

you go the #52 jersey?

I hope he goes back to that number

by broncfanstuckinsd on Sep 7, 2008 2:36 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

THIS IS AWSOME

I have been waiting for this and was hoping it wouldn’t drag into the season, this puts me in a great mood right now, maybe its the 40 of steel reserve, but more likely its the sound of us finally holding onto someone. Im so happy with our young guys im just so worried so many of our guys who will deserve LARGE contracts are going to hit the signing time all at the relative same time (Doom, Marsh, DJ, Cutler). Glad to see this done! Thanx for the quick post.

by GreasyQtip on Sep 7, 2008 1:00 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice

This is great. We keep a great player in the fold and we get some serious signing-bonus-cap-hit out of the way (right?). We will need space for when that ‘06 class needs resigning!

Remember: New England won 18 last year; Oakland's won 19 in a half-decade
/The great Dane - formerly known as Claaaaas!

by Claus Vestergaard on Sep 7, 2008 9:40 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

2010 contracts

http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features/freeagents/fa.php?option=By+Team&y=2010

We’ve some work to do before then.

RB Selvin Young RFA
WR Brandon Marshall UFA
TE Nate Jackson UFA
TE Tony Scheffler UFA
PK Matt Prater RFA
OG Ben Hamilton UFA
C Mike Leach UFA
OL Chris Kuper UFA
DL Elvis Dumervil UFA
DL John Engelberger UFA
LB Louis Green UFA
LB Jamie Winborn UFA

by Colinski on Sep 7, 2008 6:17 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

Good list - thanks

Atwater for the Hall!

by broncobear on Sep 7, 2008 7:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yikes

looks like a “charger problem” here with too much talent in too short a time period. i’m sure we’ll sort it out by then, but we obviously won’t be keeping everybody on this list. marshall, scheffler, doom, kuper, and hamilton(if healthy) are pretty important players. marshall and doom are musts, in fact, and will command big contracts

by davecheffy on Sep 7, 2008 11:16 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is an issue I brought up before.

For all that Denver has done right and wrong, staggering contracts hasn’t been a strength.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Sep 8, 2008 4:55 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dont forget some of these guys

might not be resigned until the new CBA is in place. I think the only one to get resigned next year will be Marshall

by broncfanstuckinsd on Sep 8, 2008 11:35 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

QB Patrick Ramsey UFA
RB Andre Hall ERFA
C Tom Nalen UFA
DL Kenny Peterson UFA
LB Nate Webster UFA

I’m still trying to figure out what ‘ERFA’ is, but RFA is restricted.

Not much to worry about now that D J is signed.

by Colinski on Sep 7, 2008 6:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exclusive-Rights Free Agents

Exclusive-Rights Free Agents (ERFAs) are players who have completed between 0-2 accrued seasons of service whose contracts have expired. If tendered, they have no negotiating rights with other clubs and must sign their tender with their old club or sit out the season.

To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle. - William Penn

Tom Arnold, of Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period, said this about Warren Sapp: "Hey, Warren, the Raiders signed you to a seven-year deal. I guess Bill Callahan was right --- they are the dumbest team in America."

by Philistine21 on Sep 7, 2008 6:35 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs