Broncos find trade partner for Randy Gregory

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — So, the Broncos will get something for Randy Gregory after all.

Friday, the Broncos traded Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers as part of an exchange of late-round draft picks. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the deal.

Denver will receive a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft from the 49ers as part of the exchange, while a seventh-round pick goes back to the 49ers. It’s a similar deal to the one the Broncos made to acquire tight end Adam Trautman during the NFL Draft — and also similar to the terms of the swap that sent Chase Claypool to Miami from Chicago earlier Friday. It’s the third trade in the NFL this week that included a late-round swap, the other being a move that sent J.C. Jackson from the Chargers to New England.

The significance of the deal for the Broncos is in the cap relief it provides. Denver will still have the pro-rated portion of Gregory’s signing bonus charged to its salary cap; that will create a $6.3 million dead-money charge. But the 49ers will assume a portion of Gregory’s base salary — which is $10.89 million for the rest of the season.

However, as KUSA-Ch. 9’s Mike Klis reported, the Broncos will still eat “maybe a major portion” of that $10.89 million. Adam Schefter later confirmed that Denver will pay about $10 million of Gregory’s salary with the 49ers paying the edge the veteran’s minimum. Future years on Gregory’s deal are not guaranteed.

Still, the deal allows the Broncos to escape with something for Randy Gregory — even though it isn’t that much.

Gregory had just three sacks in 10 games played for the Broncos after signing a five-year deal worth up to $70 million. Effectively, it was a two-year, $28-million contract.

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