Bryce Callahan agrees to contract restructure with Broncos

When the Denver Broncos signed cornerback Bryce Callahan to a health free agent contract last season, all parties expected a lot more than a season filled with setback after setback with a foot injury suffered the prior season. A year away from football and another surgery has Callahan reportedly on his way back to full strength for this season, but Denver has worked out some contingencies if that doesn’t happen.

According to multiple reports, Callahan and the Broncos have agreed to a restructure that frees up $1.8M in salary cap space for Denver this year and spreads out incentives for Callahan elsewhere. Callahan was and remains uncuttable in 2020, so this move at least gives Denver some flexibility to potential sign another free agent (Prince Amukamar, anyone?) prior to the 2020 NFL Draft.

A post on the contract details by Thin Air also made an interesting observation regarding this deal that related to the newly signed CBA.

Also of interest is that the only thing Callahan got in return is a $382,353 roster bonus if there are 17 games in 2021. That odd looking number is not a random one: it’s 1/17th of his $6.5 million base salary that season. Thus, Callahan may very well be the first player to individually negotiate a raise in his pay that’s contingent on the expansion of a season to 17 games.

Callahan’s signing last season was universally celebrated by fans here, but after a season of frustration that has turned to angst. If Callahan is willing to take this pay cut that he could earn back through playing time, then that should have us all feeling a bit better about where he feels his foot is on the rehab side of things.

If he is able to return to his pre-injury form, then the Broncos secondary is definitely looking a lot better already. We’ll have to wait and see how things progress through training camp, but for now at least the Broncos have a little extra salary cap space to make another move.