Like or hate the way John Elway managed the staff decisions of Broncos, one thing he did well was to use the rules for encapsulating the hood.
Over the past three years, Elway’s decisions on the amount of $ 8 million, ranged from nearly $ 15 million, and this year $ 17.8 million to next year’s salary cap. And this year, the number is incredibly important, because due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a huge decrease in the cap for the 2021 season.
The annual amount was $ 198.2 million, and the next season could be up to $ 175 million, although it could be higher than the agreed salary floor.
So, according to Spotrac, the Broncos currently have $ 16.8 million worth of caps thanks to revenue. That is, if you only count the top 51 contracts of the team, these are the ones that ultimately count against the hood, because it comes after the reduction takes place.
That $ 16.8 million cap space is decent, and Denver ends up in 13th place, with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking the lead with $ 74.5 million in space. The Jags have obviously been terrible this year and others – like the $ 65 million New York Jets – are at the forefront, with more competitive teams having significantly less money to work with.
George Paton, the new GM of the Broncos, has the task of transforming a roster of the playoff game that is constantly lacking into one worthy of being back in the post-season tournament.
Defensively, the Broncos are pretty well built. There’s Bradley Chubb on one side of the line – a young star past rusher – superstar Justin Simmons at the back, with Bryce Callahan, Kareem Jackson, Von Miller and more. Offensively, the Broncos have a few playmakers, but outside of stars Courtland Sutton and the great Phillip Lindsay, Denver’s offense is littered with youngsters who still want to reach their potential.
And the team generally needs more talent, which also appears on their struggling special team units.
The good news for Paton and the Broncos is: this is the perfect time for a new GM.
Two of the team’s most expensive players, Miller and Simmons, can be retained or let go. Simmons is already an unlimited free agent, as Denver tagged him and paid $ 11.4 million last year. Want to keep Paton Simmons – a top-5 safety – on the team?
“We are not going to let our good, young players go,” Paton told the media on Tuesday during his introductory press release. It looks like the Broncos will try to keep him.
Spotrac says its market value is $ 15.4 million a year, which will be almost all of the team’s salary cap (before any other move, we’ll reach that in a second). As for Miller, he owes $ 22.25 for 2021, the last year of his deal, but could be cut. Cutting him would mean a $ 4.2 million hit in terms of a deadlock, but would save the team about $ 15 million.
Miller is arguably the greatest defender in the history of the Denver Broncos. He was the 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year, he is the team’s leading leader in bags and he was the Super Bowl 50 MVP. But it’s a “what have you been doing to me lately” and Paton is not Elway.
Elway was very loyal to his concept choices (Miller was his first), and Miller may not be as willing to work with Paton on a restructuring as with Elway.
Then come the easier decisions for Paton. Both Jurrell Casey and AJ Bouye were traded for the final off-season, and both veterans were a disappointment in Denver. Casey was injured early in the year and Bouye was also ahead with a 6-match suspension that would flourish until 2021.
The cut of the two will have no penalty, saving the Broncos $ 24.2 million. Nick Vannett, the tight end who did very little in 2020, could also save $ 3.6 million.
So, to sum up. The Broncos were able to: Save $ 15 million by cutting Miller, saving $ 12.3 million by cutting Casey and saving $ 11.9 million by Bouye and releasing $ 3.6 million for Vannett. Add to that the $ 16.8 they already have, and it’s $ 59.6 million a hood space.
Then Paton can turn around and sign Simmons to a giant deal, sign Lindsay again and still have $ 35-40 million to spend on other players of his choice.
Of course, there are plenty of other free Broncos agents to look at. (We’ve arranged them here.) Shelby Harris, Tim Patrick, and Alexander Johnson are apparently non-brainwashed, but Paton will have the task of evaluating them all and making difficult decisions.