In the five years that John Elway has been with the Broncos they have gone from having the second pick in the draft to Super Bowl champions. Elway has been praised as a top executive in the league for bringing the Broncos back to dominance, and he certainly deserves every bit of that praise.
Not only has Elway drafted incredibly well — Malik Jackson in the fifth round and Danny Trevathan in the sixth — but he has also been the most effective executive in the league with free agents. Elway’s top five free agent signings are nothing but remarkable, from the likes of DeMarcus Ware to Peyton Manning.
However, no executive in the league is without their poor player personnel moves, whether in free agency or the draft, and Elway is not an exception. When taking a look at the worst free agent signings made by Elway, it is hard to find a player that was given a big-time contract that did not live up to it. In fact, it is a waste of time to even look at Elway’s bad free agency singings since they really don’t exist.
What may be a better indicator is looking at the top free agents that Elway let leave the Broncos. One of the most difficult jobs of a general manager is to decide who to keep and who to let walk. Since the Broncos have had so much talent in Elway’s five years, he has had to make a few of these difficult decisions.
Take a look and be the judge on whether Elway made the correct decision by letting the player go, or if he should have paid the man:
Eric Decker
Year Left: 2014 New Team: New York Jets Age At Signing : 26
Contract With The New York Jets: 5 years / $36.25 million ($15 million guaranteed); $7.25 million a year
First Year With New York Jets: 15 games played with 15 starts; 74 receptions on 115 targets; 962 receiving yards; 5 receiving touchdowns
Broncos Replacement: Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders Contract: 3 years / $15 million ($6 million guaranteed); $5 million a year
First Year With Denver Broncos: 16 games played with 16 starts; 101 receptions on 141 targets; 1,404 receiving yards; 9 receiving touchdowns
Eric Decker was a critical piece in the record setting 2013 offense and was a very good receiver for the Broncos after being drafted in the third round of the 2010 draft. When Decker’s rookie contract expired, Elway didn’t even offer Decker an extension and Decker took off to the Jets.
Since Decker left, he hasn’t been missed at all because of the signing of Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders signed the same offseason Decker left and has been an upgrade at wide receiver — plus, he’s been over $2 million cheaper. Most teams don’t upgrade after losing a player like Decker, but Elway found a diamond in the rough with Sanders.
Orlando Franklin
Year Left: 2015 New Team: San Diego Chargers Age At Signing: 27
Contract With The San Diego Chargers: 5 years / $36.5 million ($16.5 million guaranteed); $7.3 million a year
First Year With San Diego Chargers: 10 games played with 10 starts at left guard; missed 6 games due to an MCL sprain and high-ankle sprain; graded out as one of the worst guards in 2015 according to Pro Football Focus
Broncos Replacement: Evan Mathis
Evan Mathis Contract: 1 year / $2.5 million ($1 million guaranteed)
Evan Mathis Production: 16 games played with 12 starts; rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 run-blocking guard; battled with injuries but still played in every game
Orlando Franklin was a solid offensive lineman for the Broncos, playing right tackle his first three years before switching to left guard for his final season in Denver. The Broncos would have liked to keep Franklin after his rookie contract, but the market was just too high for Franklin, as he commanded a top-guard contract in the league.
Elway wasn’t quick in finding Franklin’s replacement, but when he did, it was the best option available. Just a few weeks before the regular season started, the Broncos picked up Evan Mathis on a cheap, one-year deal.
Both players battled injury last year, but Mathis was by far the better option, ranking as one of the best guards in the league, and Franklin as mediocre. Not only did Elway upgrade at left guard last year, he did it on the cheap.
Terrance Knighton
Year Left: 2015 New Team: Washington Redskins Age At Signing: 28
Contract With The Washington Redskins: 1 year / $4.45 million ($2.95 million guaranteed)
First Year With Washington Redskins: 15 games played with 15 starts at nose tackle; 1.5 sacks; 17 tackles
Broncos Replacement: Sylvester Williams
Sylvester Williams Contract: 4 years / $7.58 million ($6.14 million guaranteed); $1.9 million a year (Signed as a rookie in 2013)
Sylvester Williams Production: 15 games played with 15 starts at nose tackle; 2.5 sacks; 17 tackles
The biggest offseason move the Broncos may have made last year was hiring Wade Phillips as the defensive coordinator. Phillips seemed to bring out the best of every player on defense, so it is hard to say what Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton would have done in this defense.
Knighton had a very solid year in Washington as the primary nose tackle, but Williams had equally as good of a year as the primary nose tackle in Denver. Denver was loaded with defensive lineman last year, and while Knighton would have been another great addition to the rotation, the $4 million was probably best spent at another position.
Julius Thomas
Year Left: 2015 New Team: Jacksonville Jaguars Age At Signing: 26
Contract With The Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 years / $46 million ($24 million guaranteed); $9.2 million a year
First Year With Jacksonville Jaguars: 12 games played with 11 starts; 46 receptions on 80 targets; 455 receiving yards; 5 receiving touchdowns
Broncos Replacement: Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels Contract: 3 years / $12.25 million ($3 million guaranteed); $4.08 million a year
Owen Daniels Production: 16 games played with 16 starts; 46 receptions on 77 targets; 517 receiving yards; 3 receiving touchdowns
In the first five games of the 2014 season, Julius Thomas looked unstoppable, bringing in nine touchdowns. He looked like a player that couldn’t be guarded and that the Broncos couldn’t let go. From then on, though, his production dropped off considerably — adding only three more touchdowns in the final nine games of the regular season.
The Broncos let him hit free agency without offering him a contract. His talent was nearly unmatched, but his heart and ability to play through pain were major questions.
The Broncos replaced him by committee, with Owen Daniels leading the way. There was a considerable drop off in talent, and Daniels certainly had his highs and lows during the season. Daniels’ two-touchdown performance in the AFC Championship game against the Patriots was a highlight in an otherwise average year.
Malik Jackson
Year Left: 2016 New Team: Jacksonville Jaguars Age At Signing: 26
Contract With The Jacksonville Jaguars: 6 years / $90 million ($42 million guaranteed); $14 million a year
Production With Broncos in 2015: 16 games played with 16 starts at defensive tackle; 5.5 sacks: 34 tackles
Broncos Replacement: Undecided
Malik Jackson left the Broncos this year with an offer that the Broncos just would not be able to match. Jackson signed a massive deal averaging $15 million a year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Most of the time when the Broncos lose a free agent, they don’t even offer them a contract. This was not the case with Jackson.
The Broncos wanted to keep him and offered him a contract reportedly worth about $12 million a year, but Malik knew he could get more on the open market. The Broncos have moved on, but have not yet found his replacement. His replacement could already be on the roster — Antonio Smith (free agent) or Vance Walker — or they could get his replacement through the draft, potentially even with their first round pick.
History has proven that when Elway has let a big name leave, he has found an adequate replacement, if not an upgrade. Will Elway find the same magic with Malik’s replacement? Only time will tell.