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Rookie Mini camp is the current happening at Dove Valley these days. A new draft class for the Denver Broncos learn the intricacies of their new job routines. As we wait for more news on our favorite team, it’s time to speculate on rookie salaries. The new CBA has enabled a Rookie Salary Cap and with it a new structure. Draft picks will be easier to slot, so there shouldn’t be any holdouts. The only negotiation items will likely be the guaranteed money for first round players. That shouldn’t impose any difficulties for the Denver Broncos since they traded out of the first round in this year’s Draft. There have been quite a few signings already, which should make guesstimating the Bronco rookie deals easier than previous years.
So far, the highest signed player is LB Luke Kuechly. Taken with the #9 overall pick, the Carolina Panthers signed him to a 4-year, $12.58M contract. Meanwhile, as I stated above, the Broncos traded back to the 2nd-round to make their first draft selection. Here are the salaries around Derek Wolfe at #36.
| Round | Pick | Player | Team | Length | Amount | Signing Bonus | Guaranteed |
| 2 | 35 | Courtney Upshaw | Baltimore | 4-yrs | $5,296,698 | $2.292M | $3.587M |
| 2 | 36 | Derek Wolfe | Denver | ||||
| 2 | 37 | Mitchell Schwartz | Cleveland | 4-yrs | $5.17M | ||
| 2 | 38 | Andre Branch | Jacksonville | ||||
| 2 | 39 | Janoris Jenkins | St. Louis | ||||
| 2 | 40 | Amini Silatolu | Carolina | 4-yrs | $4.937M | $2.03M | $3.1M |
Note: All draft picks will get a 4-year deal. First-round picks may get a club option 5th year.
From this, we can determine that Derek Wolfe will get a 4-year deal for approximately $5.23M, with a possible $2.23M Signing Bonus and $3.51M in G-Jack.
Brock Osweiler may be harder to figure because he is a Quarterback and they generally make more money. He is not expected to start right away, so his contract will be laden with future performance bonuses. Still, the basic package should not be too different from the players around him. Based on that, I project his deal to be worth very close to what Mike Adams signed for.
| Round | Pick | Player | Team | Length | Amount | Signing Bonus |
| 2 | 56 | Mike Adams | Pittsburgh | 4-yrs | $3.54M | $1.01M |
| 2 | 57 | Brock Osweiler | Denver | |||
| 2 | 58 | Lavonte David | Tampa Bay | |||
| 2 | 59 | Vinny Curry | Philadelphia | 4-yrs | $3.23M | $807,950 |
Ronnie Hillman’s numbers are a little tougher to determine because the closest players under contract are 4 slots above and 8 slots below him. I’m going to project him at $3.12M and a signing bonus of $805,000.
| Round | Pick | Player | Team | Length | Amount | Signing Bonus |
| 2 | 63 | Rueben Randle | NY Giants | 4-yrs | $3.291M | $834,132 |
| 3 | 67 | Ronnie Hillman | Denver | |||
| 3 | 75 | Russell Wilson | Seattle | 4-yrs | $2.99M | $619,400 |
For Omar Bolden, it looks like he will get $2.575M and a $475,000 signing bonus. Philip Blake will receive similar numbers as Devon Wylie -- $2.555M and a $455,000 signing bonus
| Round | Pick | Player | Team | Length | Amount | Signing Bonus |
| 4 | 100 | Travis Benjamin | Cleveland | 4-yrs | $2.577M | $477,000 |
| 4 | 101 | Omar Bolden | Denver | |||
| 4 | 102 | Kirk Cousins | Washington | |||
| 4 | 103 | Frank Alexander | Carolina | 4-yrs | $2.57M | $470,252 |
| 4 | 107 | Devon Wylie | Kansas City | 4-yrs | $2.555M | $455,000 |
| 4 | 108 | Philip Blake | Denver | |||
| 4 | 109 | Alameda Ta’amu | Pittsburgh | 4-yrs | $2.565M | $433,000 |
Malik Jackson will get somewhere close to $3.1M $2.3M for his 4-year rookie contract.
| Round | Pick | Player | Team | Length | Amount | Signing Bonus |
| 4 | 127 | Adrien Robinson | NY Giants | 4-yrs | $2.48M | $385,652 |
| 5 | 137 | Malik Jackson | Denver | |||
| 5 | 143 | Josh Norman | Carolina | 4-yrs | $2.21M |
Broncos 6th round pick Danny Travathan should get in the neighborhood of $2.199M for 4- years.
| Round | Pick | Player | Team | Length | Amount | Signing Bonus |
| 6 | 184 | Isaiah Frey | Chicago | 4-yrs | $2.206M | |
| 6 | 188 | Danny Trevathan | Denver | |||
| 6 | 198 | Tommy Streeter | Baltimore | 4-yrs | $2.194M | $94,500 |
So that is what the 2012 Denver Broncos rookie class should expect for salary compensation. Now it’s up to them, their Agents and the team to get the deals done.
Go Broncos!
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