T Ryan Clady (4 Pro Bowls; 2 All Pros)
Ryan Clady has been a great Bronco, he’s a very good player and he deserves to be a starting left tackle in the NFL. That said, he’s not going to be playing for the Denver Broncos in 2016.
For one, Clady is now verging on 30 years old and has essentially missed the entirety of two of the last three seasons. Even if he is still a good option at left tackle, he’s a long ways away from being the guy that earned two All-Pro nods.
Second, he’s owed $10.1 million next season, seventh most amongst all left tackles. That’s a lot more than Clady is worth, and, more importantly, the Broncos will save nearly $9 million against the cap if they cut him.
Plus, there’s a reason they drafted Ty Sambrailo and pushed him into the starting lineup the moment Clady went down for the season: He’s their future, not a 30-year-old tackle coming off a torn ACL.
It may not be fair, but Clady’s preseason injury cost him any chance at playing for the Denver Broncos ever again.
