Can someone tell John Elway that free agency has started?
I get that he’s not looking to make any rash decisions, and he wants to spend the Broncos’ valuable cap space wisely, but come on now … we’re about to miss the boat. Malik Jackson? Gone. Danny Trevathan? Gone. Brock Osweiler? Gone. C.J. Anderson? Likely gone.
The most notable thing Elway has done this offseason is give Peyton Manning all the time in the world to make the decision everyone already knew he was going to make, and it’s cost them. Just ask Jackson.
Jackson on Broncos: "They could have gotten me done, could have gotten Danny done, could have gotten Brock done for less than nothing."
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) March 10, 2016
And Trevathan agrees:
Trevathan on if Broncos could have kept their defensive core together: "I think they could have but that’s not up for me to decide."
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) March 10, 2016
Now, the Broncos are sitting with almost $17 million in cap space, and they don’t know what to do with it.
So let me help. Here are five available free agents the Denver Broncos should be targeting (hopefully they’re still available by the time this publishes):
5. Terrance Knighton
EXPERIENCE: 7 years DRAFT: 3rd round (72nd overall) out of Temple
CAREER STARTS: 96 HONORS: None
’15 CAP HIT: $4 M PREDICTED ’16 CAP HIT: $1.4 M
LAST YEAR: 1.5 sacks; 29 total tackles
BEST YEAR: 3 sacks; 42 total tackles; 1 interception; 1 fumble recovery (’13)
WHY IT MAKES SENSE: Simple … He’s cheap, and he wants to be here. Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post talked with Knighton earlier this week, and he said, “I’d be more than welcome to reunite with John Elway and the Denver Broncos.”
Pot Roast may not be a natural fit in the Broncos’ 3-4 defense, but he’s a talented run stuffer who could work well in a rotation with Sylvester Williams. If the price is right, why not bring the fan favorite back to Denver?
4. Louis Vasquez
EXPERIENCE: 7 years DRAFT: 3rd round (78th overall) out of Texas Tech
CAREER STARTS: 101 HONORS: AP 1st-Team All-Pro (’13); PFF 1st-team All-Pro (’13); Pro Bowl (’13)
’15 CAP HIT: $6.25 M PREDICTED ’16 CAP HIT: $2-4 M
WHY IT MAKES SENSE: Just because the Broncos cut Louis Vasquez doesn’t mean they can’t re-sign him. Denver needs as much help as they can on the offensive line, and if Michael Schofield can still be on this roster, so can Vasquez.
If Denver and Vasquez can agree on a new deal that will bring him back at a significantly reduced price, why not do it? Are they really going to find a better option?
3. Robert Griffin III
EXPERIENCE: 4 years DRAFT: 1st-round pick (2nd overall) out of Baylor
CAREER STARTS: 35 HONORS: AP Offensive Rookie of the Year; Pro Bowl (’12)
’15 CAP HIT: $6.7 M PREDICTED ’16 CAP HIT: $4-6 M
LAST YEAR: 68.7% completion; 1,694 yards; 4 touchdowns; 6 interceptions; 86.9 QB rating (2014)
BEST YEAR: 65.6% completion; 3,200 yards; 20 touchdowns; 5 interceptions; 102.4 QB rating (2012)
WHY IT MAKE SENSE: Robert Griffin III may not be the Broncos best choice at quarterback, but he’s definitely their cheapest choice, and that might be the most important thing to John Elway right now.
Plus, there’s definitely some level of upside. He’s probably never going to reach the heights of his rookie season, but we can’t deny that it ever happened, either. He’s had an entire year to rest his body (and his mind), and who knows how much that might help. Maybe RGIII is primed for a comeback campaign. Crazier things have happened.
2. Arian Foster
EXPERIENCE: 7 years DRAFT: Undrafted out of Tennessee
CAREER STARTS: 68 HONORS: AP 1st-Team All-Pro (’10); AP 2nd-Team All-Pro (’11); Pro Bowl (’10, ’11, ’12, ’14)
’15 CAP HIT: $8.7 M PREDICTED ’16 CAP HIT: $3-5
LAST YEAR: 163 rushing yards; 2.6 yards/carry; 22 receptions; 227 receiving yards; 3 total touchdowns
BEST YEAR: 1,616 rushing yards; 4.9 yards/carry; 66 receptions; 604 receiving yards; 18 total touchdowns (’10)
WHY IT MAKES SENSE: With the Dolphins handing C.J. Anderson an offer sheet on Thursday, there’s a solid chance that he’s leaving Denver this offseason, and Ronnie Hillman likely is too. That means the Broncos are in need of a running back — amongst several other things (*cough quarterback cough*).
There’s nobody that offers more upside than Arian Foster, even if there’s a whole lot of downside, too.
When healthy, he’s been great. When with Gary Kubiak, he’s been great. Combine the two, and maybe he can be great — pretty good would work, too. Of course, t’d also help if he’d be willing to come in on the cheap.
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick
EXPERIENCE: 11 years DRAFT: 7th round (250th overall) our of Harvard
CAREER STARTS: 105 HONORS: None
’15 CAP HIT: $3.25 PREDICTED ’16 CAP HIT: $12-14 M
LAST/BEST YEAR: 59.6%; 3,905 yards; 31 touchdowns; 15 interceptions; 88 QB rating
WHY IT MAKE SENSE: If the Broncos want a quarterback that can help them win now, the guy is Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’s everything Denver needs.
Again, and this is important to remember, the Broncos just won the Super Bowl with miserable quarterback play. I’m not trying to be mean; it’s simply the truth.
With this defense, if the Broncos get just average play behind center, they’re going to be competing in every game. Fitzpatrick was exactly that for the Jets last season, if not a good deal better.