Denver Native (Carol)
03-04-2010, 09:49 AM
Also on link, Klis lists what he feels is the Broncos "Wish List", plus all of the Bronco's Free Agents
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14509001
Beneath the otherwise dull mechanism of contract tendering lies so many double meanings, inferences and stories.
The Broncos tendered contracts to five of their six restricted free agents Wednesday. The Broncos' Big Five — Elvis Dumervil, Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, Chris Kuper and Tony Scheffler — are not exactly the Happy Five.
None of them figure to sign those tenders any time soon.
Two, Marshall and Scheffler, are set up to be traded. The other three — Dumervil, Orton and Kuper — are likely to consider joining the dozens of fourth- and fifth-year NFL restricted free agents in holding out from offseason workouts.
The only potential restricted free agent not tendered a contract by the Broncos was backup defensive end Le Kevin Smith. He may have been the only one of the group who would have been happy with a tender. Instead, he becomes an unrestricted free agent — which is what the other five players wish they had the opportunity to try.
"It's bittersweet," said Leo Goeas, Kuper's agent. "Chris likes being there, he likes being a Bronco. A lot of this is out of his control. The good thing about this is the Broncos sent the message with that first-round tender that they value him and they don't want him leaving. The other side is by putting such a high tender on him, it does limit his opportunities."
Welcome to what promises to be another tumultuous offseason at Dove Valley.
Take the case of Dumervil. He's the player the Broncos most coveted, and most feared losing. The team acted accordingly by slapping the highest tender of first- and third-round compensation on the NFL's sack leader. Should another team lure away Dumervil with a lucrative deal, that team would have to compensate the Broncos with a first- and third-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Teams just don't give up that much for any player.
Nice to be loved, right? If only love could buy a beach house on the Miami waterfront. Last July, Baltimore avoided losing Terrell Suggs to free agency by signing the outside linebacker to a six-year, $62.5 million contract, $38.1 million of which is guaranteed.
Suggs had eight sacks in the season leading into free agency. Dumervil had 17.
Dumervil would have been an unrestricted free agent this offseason until a breakdown in the league's collective bargaining agreement changed the rules. Now, fourth- and fifth- year players — as is the case with the Broncos' Big Five — are not unrestricted but restricted free agents.
As a restricted free agent, Dumervil is guaranteed only a one-year, $3.168 million deal. No doubt, $3.1 million is nice — unless it's $3.1 million instead of $38.1 million.
Three other Broncos — Orton, Marshall and Kuper — received the next-highest tender of first-round draft pick compensation.
First-round compensation, though, had different meanings. For a potential superstar like Marshall, who is coming off three consecutive 100-catch seasons, or Orton, a three-year starting QB, a first-round tender could invite a team or three to go after them.
But for Kuper, who plays at a relatively lower-paid position, a first-round tender would be considered all but prohibitive for other teams to pursue.
Scheffler received the lowest tender of "original round" compensation. Although Scheffler was a second-round pick in the 2006 draft, by designating him as an "original round" restricted free agent instead of "second round" restricted free agent, the Broncos are guaranteeing his pay at $1.176 million instead of $1.759 million.
That's nearly a $600,000 shove to the edge of the trading plank.
Many agents already have recommended to their restricted free-agent clients to skip the team's offseason workout sessions. The agents don't want these players in harm's way in case a new CBA changes their status from restricted free agency to unrestricted free agency.
The agents know there's a better chance of heaven using pitchforks at the dinner table than the league and union have of reaching a new CBA. But negotiating leverage is not in the player's favor.
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14509001
Beneath the otherwise dull mechanism of contract tendering lies so many double meanings, inferences and stories.
The Broncos tendered contracts to five of their six restricted free agents Wednesday. The Broncos' Big Five — Elvis Dumervil, Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, Chris Kuper and Tony Scheffler — are not exactly the Happy Five.
None of them figure to sign those tenders any time soon.
Two, Marshall and Scheffler, are set up to be traded. The other three — Dumervil, Orton and Kuper — are likely to consider joining the dozens of fourth- and fifth-year NFL restricted free agents in holding out from offseason workouts.
The only potential restricted free agent not tendered a contract by the Broncos was backup defensive end Le Kevin Smith. He may have been the only one of the group who would have been happy with a tender. Instead, he becomes an unrestricted free agent — which is what the other five players wish they had the opportunity to try.
"It's bittersweet," said Leo Goeas, Kuper's agent. "Chris likes being there, he likes being a Bronco. A lot of this is out of his control. The good thing about this is the Broncos sent the message with that first-round tender that they value him and they don't want him leaving. The other side is by putting such a high tender on him, it does limit his opportunities."
Welcome to what promises to be another tumultuous offseason at Dove Valley.
Take the case of Dumervil. He's the player the Broncos most coveted, and most feared losing. The team acted accordingly by slapping the highest tender of first- and third-round compensation on the NFL's sack leader. Should another team lure away Dumervil with a lucrative deal, that team would have to compensate the Broncos with a first- and third-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Teams just don't give up that much for any player.
Nice to be loved, right? If only love could buy a beach house on the Miami waterfront. Last July, Baltimore avoided losing Terrell Suggs to free agency by signing the outside linebacker to a six-year, $62.5 million contract, $38.1 million of which is guaranteed.
Suggs had eight sacks in the season leading into free agency. Dumervil had 17.
Dumervil would have been an unrestricted free agent this offseason until a breakdown in the league's collective bargaining agreement changed the rules. Now, fourth- and fifth- year players — as is the case with the Broncos' Big Five — are not unrestricted but restricted free agents.
As a restricted free agent, Dumervil is guaranteed only a one-year, $3.168 million deal. No doubt, $3.1 million is nice — unless it's $3.1 million instead of $38.1 million.
Three other Broncos — Orton, Marshall and Kuper — received the next-highest tender of first-round draft pick compensation.
First-round compensation, though, had different meanings. For a potential superstar like Marshall, who is coming off three consecutive 100-catch seasons, or Orton, a three-year starting QB, a first-round tender could invite a team or three to go after them.
But for Kuper, who plays at a relatively lower-paid position, a first-round tender would be considered all but prohibitive for other teams to pursue.
Scheffler received the lowest tender of "original round" compensation. Although Scheffler was a second-round pick in the 2006 draft, by designating him as an "original round" restricted free agent instead of "second round" restricted free agent, the Broncos are guaranteeing his pay at $1.176 million instead of $1.759 million.
That's nearly a $600,000 shove to the edge of the trading plank.
Many agents already have recommended to their restricted free-agent clients to skip the team's offseason workout sessions. The agents don't want these players in harm's way in case a new CBA changes their status from restricted free agency to unrestricted free agency.
The agents know there's a better chance of heaven using pitchforks at the dinner table than the league and union have of reaching a new CBA. But negotiating leverage is not in the player's favor.