Denver Broncos 2015 Free Agency & Trade Tracker

Douglas Lee Jan 20, 2015 11:00 AM Last updated: Apr 11, 2015 12:38 PM

Here's the 2015 iteration of our free agency tracker; bookmark it - tattoo the URL, even (can't turn out as poorly as this guy's) - and check back often - we'll update it as moves occur over the next several months.

Denver enters the offseason with 12 unrestricted free agents, three restricted free agents, and four exclusive rights free agents.

Veterans Added

Player	Position	2015 Age	Date	Notes
Owen Daniels	TE	33	3/10	3 yrs, $12.25M
Vance Walker	DE	28	3/12	2 yrs, $4M
Darian Stewart	FS	27	3/13	2 yrs, $4.25M
Shelley Smith	G	28	3/13	2 yrs, $5.65M
Reggie Walker	LB	29	3/19	1 year, $795K
Gino Gradkowski	C	27	4/1	Trade w/BLT
Antonio Smith	DT	34	4/2	1 yr, $2M
James Casey	FB/TE	31	4/11	1 yr

Other Free Agents Added

Player	Position	Date	Notes
Jeremy Kelley	WR	12/29	Future contract
Curtis Marsh	CB	12/29	Future contract
Chase Vaughn	DE	12/29	Future contract
Kyle Williams	KR	12/29	Future contract
Danny Mason	LB	1/5	Future contract
Zac Dysert	QB	1/21	Future contract
Joe Don Duncan	TE	3/10	Undrafted in 2014
Karl Schmitz	P	3/12	Last played in 2008

Re-signed

Player	Position	Date	2015 Cap Number	Notes
Aaron Brewer	LS	3/5		Avoided RFA tender
Steven Johnson	LB	3/10	$785K	Non-tendered as RFA but later re-signed
Virgil Green	TE	3/10		3 years, $8.4M

Unrestricted Free Agents

Player	Position	2014 Cap Number	Notes
Quinton Carter	S	$758,750
Demaryius Thomas	WR	$4.7M	Tendered at franchise level: $12.823M
Wes Welker	WR	$7,647,059
John Youboty	DE	$303K	Non-tendered as ERFA

Restricted Free Agents

Player	Position	2014 Cap Number	Notes
Tony Carter	CB	$570K	Tendered as RFA for $1.542M

Exclusive Rights Free Agents

Player	Position	2014 Cap Number	Notes
Paul Cornick	T	$420K	Tendered 3/6 at $510K; signed 4/10
Ben Garland	G	$420K	Tendered 3/6 at $510K; signed 4/10
Brandon Marshall	LB	$495K	Tendered 3/6 at $585K; signed 4/13

Veteran Free Agents Lost

Player	Position	Date	2014 Cap Number	Notes
Orlando Franklin	G	3/10	$1.386M	San Diego: 5 yrs, $36.5M
Julius Thomas	TE	3/10	$741K	Jacksonville: 5 yrs, $46M
Rahim Moore	S	3/12	$1,415,313	Houston: 3 yrs, $12M
Terrance Knighton	DT	3/12	$2.75M	Washington: 1 yr, $4M
Mitch Unrein	DT	3/18	$1.431M	San Diego: 2 yrs, $1.9M
Jacob Tamme	TE	3/19	$2.2M	Atlanta: 2 yrs
Nate Irving	LB	3/20	$818,750	Indy: 3 yrs
Will Montgomery	C	4/2	$1.925M	Chicago

Salary info via Over the Cap

Doug is IAOFM’s resident newsman and spelling czar. Follow him on Twitter @IAOFM

Colts look like Denver last yr. swooping in on some key additions...Scary! Luck, Gore, A. Johnson, T.Y.....Mathis...ouch..

Posted by Laces Out on 2015-03-11 18:11:11

Thank you Doug for the awesome outline!

I'm really happy Denver is laying in the cut and I'm sure we'll add some quality without blowing our minds on some of these contracts that reek of desperation..

So the Eagles ended up with Bradford and Kiko Alonso out of all that?

Rams are getting better sneakily and the Seahawks reloaded with Graham, wow.

We should be thankful, TYJE.

Posted by Laces Out on 2015-03-11 01:05:00

He was worth it in 2013.

Posted by VonSwenson on 2015-01-20 21:45:19

Jason Cole hears DT will get franchised while JT and T.Knight are allowed to test FA market.

http://bleacherreport.com/arti...

Posted by Kell_C on 2015-01-20 21:44:16

Resigning as many free agents as possible is quasi-rebuilding?

Posted by PiperAR on 2015-01-20 16:55:55

Really good stuff there btw.
Franchising Julius instead would make sense, a way to keep him around but not commit long term so they have time to evaluate his future.
And agree that cutting Colquitt, Ramirez and Caldwell are no brainers. Will save cap $ as well as open up spots for more useful, younger, cheaper players.

Posted by underdog on 2015-01-20 14:44:18

Thanks both.

I have mixed feelings about Julius Thomas, too. As great a pass catcher as he is when healthy, he's basically 1 dimensional and not especially reliable health-wise now, either. I'd rather bring back green and another multi-dimensional TE who fits in with Kubiak's system more (But I'll still hate to lose him as a pass catching threat...) I'm not totally convinced Knighton leaving is a slam dunk, but we'll see.

Posted by underdog on 2015-01-20 14:40:20

Nothing against Carter, but it is a numbers game. Talib, Harris, Roby, Bolden, and Webster. It frees up a spot somewhere else.

Posted by RSH, Esq. on 2015-01-20 13:40:00

I went over it previously, but it's a bit outdated since the Broncos re-signed Chris Harris, plus I am having some second thoughts about bringing Julius Thomas back, and that Terrance Knighton probably won't return, as I expect him to follow Jack Del Rio to the Raiders. (ETA: Also, the salary cap is being estimated higher than when I put together my thoughts.)

http://smalltownsportsbeat.blo...

I may sit down and revise that plan now that we know Harris will be in the fold.

And always remember: There will be players cut to clear some cap space.

Posted by Bob Morris on 2015-01-20 13:38:00

We have to wait until the official numbers come out on the new salary cap increases first.

Posted by Random Anonymous Coward on 2015-01-20 13:37:58

He's the 5th corner in our roster. I don't get the animosity towards a very serviceable. cheap FIFTH corner. He came out with pretty good plays this season. And he is probably better than most the CBs the Ravens started against NE last week.

Posted by Random Anonymous Coward on 2015-01-20 13:35:50

Three years on the bench behind PFM, working with Gase and Knapp, has to count for something? See Rodgers/Favre or Rivers/Brees for optimistic examples.

Regardless, with a Denver running game of yore, I'm not hasty to count Os out. Hell, if Trent Dilfer can win a Super Bowl then anything is possible.

Posted by Kell_C on 2015-01-20 13:17:45

With the improved play of Omar Bolden and with Bradley Roby, I do not see Tony Carter back with Denver next season.

Posted by RSH, Esq. on 2015-01-20 13:13:43

So is Denver going in quasi-rebuilding mold then? Because Brock Osweiler sure as hell is not going to take Denver to the next level this season. Denver will struggle to win the division and to qualify as a wildcard next season with Osweiler at quarterback.

Posted by RSH, Esq. on 2015-01-20 13:11:45

Anyone out there a salary cap/payroll expert who can help us figure out who the Broncos can afford to bring back if Manning comes back? We already have Harris in the fold, as noted below. Now would like to see if they can bring back DT (perhaps franchise tag this year?), Knighton, and Julius, as well as Green, and perhaps Irving.

Some of the other guys can be replaced, and yeah, Welker should retire, and even if he doesn't he's not coming back.

Posted by underdog on 2015-01-20 13:09:39

I'd argue that we want the best supporting cast regardless of QB for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being that it makes it easier to (re-)sign quality free agents to reasonable contracts (QBs or otherwise). To wit, I expect Kube is drooling over getting to play with TYJE's roster.

But, I've admittedly been binging a bit on orange-and-blue kool aid the past couple of days. For example, I've very nearly convinced myself the Duke has been planning this all along -- drafting the perfect (very young) QB (and back-up) for the Shanny/Kube offense, and stocking up on (very young) RBs to make sure he finds at least one to make the whole thing tick. Tick like a bomb to Rod Smith for 6... oh yeah, pass me another. I don't expect to sober up until well after the draft.

Posted by Kell_C on 2015-01-20 13:06:23

That's exactly the question to ask. What FA are worth allowing to walk in order to roll the dice on Manning for one more year.

Posted by PiperAR on 2015-01-20 12:40:30

Maybe so but what's the use of signing all of these players if we have a question mark at QB? Not saying it's not a reasonable question you're asking but if PM doesn't return, we need to find out what we have in Brock before spending any money.

Teams with uncertain QB situations have historically missed the playoffs. There certainly are exceptions but not many.

Posted by GMik - Broncologist on 2015-01-20 12:37:03

Hey let's put Chris Harris in the re-signed category! I know that was during the season but it would make me feel like we were getting off on the right foot...

Posted by a rubber skeleton on 2015-01-20 12:29:17

That is the only exception.

Posted by Jeremy on 2015-01-20 12:27:30

Welker should retire.

Posted by magster on 2015-01-20 12:24:01

I read somewhere that it frees up $16.5M this year if PFM doesn't return. Is one more year from him worth the players we'd have to let go? At 38 and with his recent injury history, I definitely think it's a question worth asking.

Posted by Kell_C on 2015-01-20 12:10:49

Yep. $7.6m...

Posted by Ralph_W on 2015-01-20 12:10:24

I feel like Tony Carter has been a restricted FA for like 5 years now.

Posted by brettrelax on 2015-01-20 11:46:18

Damn, didn't realize Virgil Green was a UFA... hopefully he re-signs. Great blocker and versatile... should have been used more in pass game.

Posted by Uncle Rico on 2015-01-20 11:37:08

Lots of bargains coming off the books.

Posted by Jeremy on 2015-01-20 11:20:38

The fireworks begin on 4 p.m. March 10, 2015!

Posted by Benjamin Funderburk on 2015-01-20 11:15:56

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