Broncos window to right ship could be as small as two seasons
Jun 20, 2018, 5:43 PM
The clock is ticking for the Denver Broncos.
Just 13 players from the Super Bowl 50 roster in 2015 remain with the team in 2018, none of which finds himself on the younger side of 25 years of age.
But, perhaps more striking, if that all but two of the baker’s dozen — kicker Brandon McManus — will be unrestricted free agents within two years or have “potential outs,” according to Spotrac.com.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
(Figures from Spotrac.com)
Even Super Bowl 50 MVP and All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller isn’t immune, with a potential out in 2020 — though Denver would pay a hefty dead cap of $11.85 million.
“The language of the NFL is money, and all of these contracts for these older Broncos — Demaryius, Emmanuel, Derek Wolfe, Chris Harris, Von Miller, with the potential out — it seems like two years is the countdown,” said Cecil Lammey, host of “Pritchard and Cecil,” on Wednesday.
“Two years with Case (Keenum).”
Lammey said guys like Harris and Miller fit the mold of Broncos lifers, but looking at the structure of the deals, it’s hard not to make the conclusion.
“The way these contracts are written, there’s a two-year timer that’s on this team,” Lammey said, adding that there’s “more pressure” on Keenum than perhaps seen on first glance.
“You want to know why Case Keenum got a two-year contract? It’s because all these other players are on a two-year contract,” said Lammey’s co-host Mike Pritchard on Wednesday. “You want to know why Case Keenum is under the gun in terms of a prove it situation? All these older players are under a prove it situation.”
The situation, however, means the Broncos are “all-in” on Keenum and “all-in” on a prove it situation with its “older core.”
“This organization still believes in you guys as vets, that you can right this ship. You won a championship for this organization,” Pritchard said. “You lost … 5-11 last year for this organization. Now, we’re tasking you guys to lead the resurgence.”
What does a rebound look like, though? Pritchard said it’s some type of “championship or bust” mentality.
“It’s not 8-8. It’s certainly not a losing season. It’s chasing an AFC title, making a playoff run,” Pritchard said.
And if Keenum, head coach Vance Joseph, and the Broncos veterans can’t get it done, Pritchard said, there’s a young crop of players Denver can rebuild with.
“When you look at this team and how they’re constructed right now, and certainly what they did in the draft in 2018, they have separate cores,” Pritchard said. “They have an older core, and these vets have won a championship. And they just drafted a new core because, ultimately, you’re going to replace these guys.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
