DT 'not worried' about the money

Demaryius Thomas' story is perhaps one of the most well-known of the "great stories" on the Broncos roster.

But a Rolling Stone interview with the Broncos' star receiver sheds some light on how that story impacts him - or doesn't - as the Broncos consider either a franchise tag or a long-term deal with No. 88.

With a franchise tag, DT stands to make around $13 million in a one-year deal. A long-term deal - or another team's offer - could possibly yield something higher.

But as Thomas tells Rolling Stone's Kenneth Arthur, "Money really don't make me."

That kind of quote is the kind that will make Broncos fans swoon right about now if genuine and could mean DT is serious about a hometown discount. Time will tell.

Mostly, as he tells Rolling Stone, Thomas is looking for a solid deal that will help him with his ultimate personal goal of getting his family back on track - mom out of prison and grandma some legal help to possibly reduce a life-sentence.

Both were arrested on federal drug charges in Georgia when Thomas was just an 11-year-old kid. Sixteen years later, a guy who could be one of the top paid wide receivers in the NFL is thinking as much about his family as anything else.

"I don't really think about how much I'm going to make," he told Rolling Stone. "I'm just blessed and happy to have my feet on the ground."

General Manager John Elway had indicated last summer he wanted to get a deal done with both DT and Julius Thomas before the season started. Neither signed a deal, and now it looks like both will have very different paths than was once thought.

Although Demaryius still had some great stats this year, which only padded his incredible career stats - at least 90 catches, 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his last three seasons - even he admitted that this season didn't end on a high note - for the team or for him.

"[The Colts] came out in that game and they got the best of us. We had opportunities and we just didn't make 'em. I didn't have my best game, I had a couple drops - it's hard to point fingers at anybody or any particular spot because as a group, we just didn't play our best that day."

That was a slightly different tone than his radio comments reported last week where he pointed fingers at unnamed teammates who "didn't have the fight or whatever it was. It was totally a different team than last year (2013). I think we had more talent this year, but there was a little more fight in that team last year."

And though he didn't want to speak for  Peyton Manning's poor performance in that final game against Indy, Thomas did compliment the quarterback without giving him more credit than he deserves for DT's own success.

"You always hear people say, 'Peyton Manning made me,' but I can't say that. I learned a lot from Peyton. He's the best quarterback I ever played with. ...it's just hard to say 'Peyton Manning did this,'" Thomas told Rolling Stone, adding that Manning would never claim to make his receivers better. "Peyton Manning makes everybody better. He wants the best for everybody and when you're playing with him, you want to step your game up. I think everybody makes each other better."

Whether DT is signed with the Broncos or elsewhere - and how important staying with the Broncos is over a bigger contract - the wide receiver says he believes in not worrying about things not in his control.

He learned those lessons the hard way as a kid, so details about where he's playing football and for how much don't really bother him, he tells Rolling Stone:

"I don't wanna stress about what I'm gonna sign or when it's gonna happen. I just go on with my life, I live blessed and I just get ready for the next season. Whatever happens happens."