Franchise-tag deadline passes with no tag or deal yet for Dre’Mont Jones

And now, the Broncos have five days to figure things out with Dre’Mont Jones or risk losing him.

The 2 p.m. MST deadline passed Tuesday without the Broncos using the franchise tag on their leading sacker.

Last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager George Paton said that he had spoken with Jones’ agent, Kyle McCarthy. Paton described the talks as “very positive.” He also categorized Jones as “one of our core players.”

However, being a “core player” hasn’t always meant a deal. Paton used the same description for edge rusher Bradley Chubb just a week before the Broncos dealt him to the Miami Dolphins last year.

In the wake of that trade — and with no midseason extension coming, unlike with Tim Patrick and Courtland Sutton one year earlier — Jones was matter-of-fact about his future with the Broncos.

When asked in November whether he wanted to remain with the Broncos long-term, Jones replied, “I’m here right now.”

Immediately after the season, Jones remained non-committal, saying in the locker room after the season finale, “I’m looking forward to March.”

Well, March is here, and unless the Broncos can get a deal done with him by the time the legal-tampering period starts Monday, Jones will get his chance on the open market. And as one of just seven interior defensive linemen with at least 5 sacks in each of the last three seasons, Jones would draw substantial interest on the market.

Further, with 22 sacks since making his debut in 2019, Jones has more sacks than any other Bronco in that span. The second-place player, Malik Reed, had 15 sacks from 2019-21 before Denver traded him to Pittsburgh last preseason.

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