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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 defensive starters and backups
Defense-Starters
Player |
POS |
2013 status |
2014 status |
2015 status |
Derek Wolfe |
LDE |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
Kevin Vickerson |
DT |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Terrance Knighton |
DT |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Robert Ayers |
RDE |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Von Miller |
Sam |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Nate Irving |
Mike |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Wesley Woodyard |
Will |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Champ Bailey |
CB |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Rodgers-Cromartie |
CB |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Chris Harris |
CB |
Contract Year |
RFA |
--- |
Mike Adams |
S |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Rahim Moore |
S |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Quinton Carter |
S |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
2013
Ayers, Woodyard, DRC, Harris and Adams are all in their contract years. Woodyard and Harris are in line for big raises. Ayers and DRC will depend with output, and Adams should be a goner.
2014
Ayers, Woodyard, DRC, and Adams all become UFA. Chris Harris becomes a RFA.
Vickerson, Knighton, Miller, Irving, Bailey, Moore and Carter are in their contract years.
2015
Vickerson, Knighton, Miller, Irving, Bailey, Moore and Carter all become UFA. Miller will demand a big payday. Bailey will take a big cut to come back (if he's still productive). The remaining players will carve up their own contract worth by what they do on the field the next couple of years.
Overall
11/13 starters will become UFA between now and 2015
Defense-Backups
Player |
POS |
2013 status |
2014 status |
2015 status |
Malik Jackson |
DE |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
Jeremy Beal |
DE |
Contract Year |
ERFA |
--- |
Sealver Siliga |
DT |
Contract Year |
ERFA |
--- |
Mitch Unrein |
DT |
Contract Year |
RFA |
--- |
Stewart Bradley |
LB |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Steven Johnson |
LB |
Signed |
Contract Year |
RFA |
Joe Mays |
LB |
Signed |
Contract Year |
UFA |
Danny Trevathan |
LB |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
Omar Bolden |
CB |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
David Bruton |
S |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
2013
Beal, Siliga, Unrein, and Bradley are all in their contract years. None of these guys will garner big pay days.
2014
Beal and Siliga become ERFA, Unrein becomes a RFA, Bradley becomes a UFA
Steven Johnson and Joe Mays are in their contract years.
2015
Mays becomes a UFA, Johnson a RFA
Jackson, Trevathan, Bolden, and Bruton enter their contract years
Overall
2 out of 10 players will become UFA during this time. There are many more ERFA and RFA--Shows you how the Broncos have used UDFA to build quality depth on their team. Keep this in mind going forward.
Breaking it down by position group here are the totals expected to become UFA between now and 2015:
D-line: 3/8 (Ayers, Vickerson, Knighton)
LB: 6/7 (everyone except Danny Trevathan)
DB: 5/8 (Champ, DRC, Moore, Adams, Carter)
Total: 13/23 or about 61% of the starters and backups on defense will become UFA between now and 2015.
The most important ones to resign will be Wesley Woodyard, Von Miller, and Chris Harris.
Here's a reminder about the offense: In total, 19/24 or 79% of the offensive starters will become UFA between now and 2015
Specialists
Player |
POS |
2013 status |
2014 status |
2015 status |
Britton Colquitt |
P |
Contract Year |
UFA |
--- |
Matt Prater |
K |
Signed |
Signed |
Contract Year |
Aaron Brewer |
LS |
Signed |
Contract Year |
RFA |
Only Colquitt becomes a UFA between now and 2015, no worries here (bring in competition for Prater).
Entire Roster
Of the 50 players I profiled on the roster, 33 or (66%) of them will become UFA between now and 2015.
Be afraid Broncos Country, be very afraid...MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA