As free agency nears, the Broncos make their first cap-clearing moves

The Broncos have started clearing salary-cap space.

Friday, the team released RB Chase Edmonds and CB Ronald Darby. The moves were first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, respectively. The moves save the Broncos just over $15.5 million of salary-cap space.

Broncos are releasing RB Chase Edmonds, per source. His release will save Denver $5.92 million against its cap.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2023

For Darby, the move brings an end to a star-crossed two years in Denver. George Paton signed Darby in 2021 as one of his signature free-agent moves as he remade the cornerback corps. But two years later, only first-round pick Pat Surtain II remains from the haul that brought in Darby, Surtain and Kyle Fuller.

Darby missed more games than he played as a Bronco. Injuries limited him to just 16 of a possible 34 games over the last two years. A torn ACL suffered in Week 5 last season led to this release, not just because of the time lost, but due to the emergence of fourth-round rookie Damarri Mathis, who overcame a penalty-plagued first start to flourish as the No. 2 cornerback opposite Surtain.

In two years with the Broncos, Darby didn’t intercept a pass. It wasn’t for a lack of trying; Darby spent countless extra reps before and after practice working with the JUGS machine and with team staffers on ball drills during training camp. He hasn’t intercepted a pass since 2019 and entered the 2022 season bent on changing that. Alas, an injury derailed those hopes.

By cutting Darby, the Broncos saved $9.647 million of salary-cap space. The team will still carry $3 million on a dead-money charge, per OvertheCap.com.

Cutting Edmonds was an obvious move, given that his contract terms meant that the Broncos incurred no dead-money charge by releasing him.

Edmonds was expected to be a third-down back in the wake of Mike Boone’s ankle issues last season. Denver acquired him as part of the Bradley Chubb trade just after its Week 8 win over Jacksonville.

But Edmonds succumbed to a high-ankle sprain of his own in his second game as a Bronco. The team placed him on injured reserve, recalling him for the final three games of the season.

Edmonds finished his Broncos stint with 125 yards on 26 carries and 61 yards on six receptions in five games played. He did not score a touchdown.

(Update 2:45 p.m.) –

The Broncos made another major cap-clearing move on Friday afternoon, releasing interior offensive lineman Graham Glasgow and saving another $11 million. You can read about it here.

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