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I'm going to use some specific language in these charts, here is an explanation:
Signed: Will have more years on the contract after that year
Contract Year: Final year of current contract
UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent, means the player is free to test the market
RFA: Means that any team can tender an offer, but the Broncos have the right to match OR the signing team must pony up some draft picks.
ERFA: Exclusive Rights Free Agent, The Player may be tendered a salary at the vet minimum for their position. Only the Broncos can negotiate.
Franchise Tag: Means that player is with the Broncos for that year, his contract once signed becomes fully guaranteed.
Below is a chart for both the offensive starters and backups
Offense-Starters
Player |
POS |
2013 status |
2014 status |
2015 status |
Peyton Manning |
QB |
Signed |
Signed |
Signed/dependent |
Willis McGahee |
RB |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Knowshon Moreno |
RB |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Demaryius Thomas |
WR |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Eric Decker |
WR |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Wes Welker |
WR |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Joel Dreessen |
TE |
Signed |
Contact Year |
UFA |
Jacob Tamme |
TE |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Ryan Clady |
LT |
Franchise Tag |
UFA |
--- |
Zane Beadles |
LG |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
J.D. Walton |
C |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Louis Vasquez |
RG |
Signed |
Signed |
Signed |
Orlando Franklin |
RT |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Chris Kuper |
RG |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
2013
Four starters are in their contract years. Eric Decker, Ryan Clady, Zane Beadles, and J.D. Walton. Decker and Clady project to get big paydays. Beadles could be in line for one as well with another pro bowl season. Walton is a question mark.
2014
Decker, Clady, Beadles, and Walton become UFA.
McGahee, Moreno, Thomas, Welker, Dreessen, Tamme and Franklin are in their contract years. McGahee will be gone, Moreno likely will be as well. Dreessen and Tamme will be on the wrong side of 30, I don't expect either would be difficult to resign at a discount if the Broncos choose to. Franklin should get a decent contract. Welker will probably be done or will be signed to the vet minimum after this point.
2015
McGahee, Moreno, Thomas, Welker Dreessen, Tamme, and Franklin are all UFA.
Chris Kuper is in his contract year
If Manning is still healthy and productive, the Broncos can choose to pick up his contract for 2015. In that case he would be paid 19 million guaranteed.
Overall
11 out of the 14 starters on the roster will become UFA between now and 2015
Offense--Backups
Player |
POS |
2013 status |
2014 status |
2015 status |
Brock Osweiler |
QB |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
Ronnie Hillman |
RB |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
Lance Ball |
RB |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Jacob Hester |
RB |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Andre Caldwell |
WR |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Trindon Holliday |
WR |
Contract Year |
ERFA |
--- |
Virgil Green |
TE |
Signed |
Contact Year |
UFA |
Julius Thomas |
TE |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Chris Clark |
T |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Phillip Blake |
C/G |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
C.J. Davis |
C/G |
Contract Year |
RFA |
--- |
Manny Ramirez |
G |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
2013
Ball, Hester, Holliday, Caldwell, Clark, Davis, and Ramirez will all be in their contract year. No one from this group will demand a big payday.
2014
Ball, Hester, Caldwell, Clark, and Ramirez all become UFA, Trindon Holliday is an ERFA. Davis is a RFA.
Virgil Green and Julius Thomas will be in their contract year. It will depend whether or not these guys will garner a big payday.
2015
Green and Thomas become UFA
Osweiler, Hillman, and Blake will be in their contract year.
Overall
7 out of 12 offensive backups will be UFA between now and 2015
Broken down by position groups, these are the players that will become UFA between now and 2015:
0/0 QB's (Manning's 2015 is dependent on the Broncos exercising that option)
4/5 RB's (Moreno, McGahee, Ball, Hester)
4/4 TE's (Tamme, Dreessen, J. Thomas, Green)
5/5 WR's (D. Thomas, Decker, Welker, Caldwell, Holliday)
6/10 O-Linemen (Clady, Beadles, Walton, Franklin, Clark, Ramirez)
In total, 19/24 or 79% of the offensive starters will become UFA between now and 2015
The most important ones to resign will be Virgil Green, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Ryan Clady, Zane Beadles, and Orlando Franklin.
The Broncos will face many tough decisions regarding their roster over the next couple of seasons. This is where we will really get to see what our FO is made of.