Denver Broncos Contracts: Offense 2013-2015

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.