Here is a look at the current Denver Broncos players who may or may not be back with the team next because they are free agents this offseason.
UFA = unrestricted free agent. These players are free to take a contract from any team in the league. The former team has no control over the player.
RFA = restricted free agent. A restricted free agent is one with three accrued seasons (six or more regular season games with a team) of service, who has received a "qualifying" offer (a salary level predetermined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players, known as a "tender") from his current club. He can negotiate with any club through a certain date. If the restricted free agent accepts an offer sheet from a new club, his old club has "right of first refusal," a five-day period in which it may match the offer and retain him, or choose not to match the offer, in which case it may receive one or more draft picks for the upcoming draft from the player's new club. If an offer sheet is not executed, the player's rights revert to his old club the day after negotiations must end.
ERFA = exclusive rights free agent. Exclusive-rights free agents are players with two or fewer seasons of service time and whose contracts have expired. If their team tenders a qualifying offer (a one-year contract usually at league-minimum salary) the player has no negotiating rights with other teams, and must either sign the tender with the team or sit out the season.
Player | Type | Current Avg./Year ▾ |
Todd Davis | ERFA | $930,000 |
Sam Brenner | ERFA | $510,000 |
Brandon McManus | ERFA | $465,000 |
Bennie Fowler | ERFA | $435,000 |
Matt Paradis | ERFA | $435,000 |
Brandon Marshall | RFA | $585,000 |
Lerentee McCray | RFA | $500,667 |
C.J. Anderson | RFA | $499,167 |
Vernon Davis | UFA | $7,350,000 |
Von Miller | UFA | $5,250,094 |
Evan Mathis | UFA | $3,250,000 |
Antonio Smith | UFA | $2,000,000 |
David Bruton | UFA | $1,500,000 |
Andre Caldwell | UFA | $1,350,000 |
Ryan Harris | UFA | $920,000 |
Brock Osweiler | UFA | $879,170 |
Tyler Polumbus | UFA | $870,000 |
Ronnie Hillman | UFA | $750,208 |
Kyle Williams | UFA | $745,000 |
Shiloh Keo | UFA | $745,000 |
Jordan Norwood | UFA | $695,000 |
Josh Bush | UFA | $660,000 |
Omar Bolden | UFA | $643,607 |
Malik Jackson | UFA | $578,403 |
Danny Trevathan | UFA | $551,018 |
I am fairly certain that all of the ERFAs will be back with the team in 2016. The only one about whom I am uncertain is Sam Brenner, but given our offensive line difficulties, retaining him would not surprise me in the least.
I would be extremely surprised if we did not retain all three of our RFAs. Brandon Marshall and C.J. Anderson will both get high level tenders (possible second round for both) so there is no way we are losing either without getting something significant back in return and I doubt other teams would want to give up a second round pick for either guy. McCray has not played enough to be stolen away even with a much "smaller" tender.
Of the UFAs, Von Miller with definitely be back. He'll have a huge contract whether that means a franchise tag or not. Vernon Davis will most likely not be back. Evan Mathis' return depends on how much money he gets offered to come back to the Eagles. Antonio Smith is relatively cheap for a veteran DT, so he could be back if he decides to continue playing. David Bruton will definitely be back. Andre Caldwell will be back unless the team is more confident in the younger WRs moving forward. For a veteran OT, Ryan Harris is relatively cheap so I see him coming back as our backup/swing tackle unless he gets a big money offer from another team.
Brock Osweiler will get a fairly big money offer from another team. I am quite certain of this. I'm expecting one of the bottom-feeder teams in QB-hell to throw 9-11 million per year at him. Keep in mind that Nick Foles was making $12MM per year and Sam Bradford was making $13MM per year last season. We may or may not be able to match that depending on how much we have budgeted to try and keep Danny Trevathan, Malik Jackson and Von Miller.
Of the remaining free agents, I expect us to try and bring back Omar Bolden, Jordan Norwood and Shiloh Keo for their special teams prowess. I don't see us bringing Ronnie Hillman back unless we bring him back with a veteran minimum offer, but that just might be my disgust with Hillman's playoffs (lack of) performance talking.