No Shocker here: Broncos won't match Seattle's offer

[Smilin Assassin]

Broncos will receive no compensation


Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Tuesday morning that the
Broncos won't match the five-year, $15 million offer sheet restricted
free agent cornerback Kelly Herndon signed last week with the Seattle
Seahawks.

The Broncos will receive no draft compensation from the transaction
because he was an undrafted player. Herndon will replace Ken Lucas,
who signed with the Carolina Panthers, as the starter on the other
side of Marcus Trufant.

Herndon started every game last season, leading the Broncos with 20
passes defensed while finishing fifth with 77 tackles. He added two
interceptions. Herndon played in 45 games with Denver, making 27
starts.

He joined San Francisco as an undrafted free agent in 1999, but
didn't make the roster in 1999 or 2000. He joined Denver's practice
squad in October 2001 after going to training camp and spending a
short time on the New York Giants' practice squad.

Information from ESPN.com senior NFL writer John Clayton and The
Associated Press was used in this report.

[CBF1]

You right...No shock here. I do not think anyone thought we would match the offer.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Its over. Herndon was the glue. Guys will now miss tackles, give up long passes, and get nothing but coverage sacks. Wait...thats what happened with Herndon!

[dbroncos31]

Its over. Herndon was the glue. Guys will now miss tackles, give up long passes, and get nothing but coverage sacks. Wait...thats what happened with Herndon!
i bet ya Herndon has at least 5 picks next year, prolly making the pro bowl...Bert Berry anyone?

[Crushaholic]

If Homogrin wants to overpay for an inconsistent defensive back, let him.

[Rascal]

Seattle overpaid for a nickle back...they can have him for that much money.

[bronco militia]

If Homogrin wants to overpay for an inconsistent defensive back, let him.

what, did the Hawks offer Champ a contract too?

;D

[DennisSmithHOF]

Even though we don't get any draft pick compensation this year; will this factor into next year's formula for compensatory picks?

[Crushaholic]

what, did the Hawks offer Champ a contract too?

haha... ~Popps~

[dbroncos31]

Even though we don't get any draft pick compensation this year; will this factor into next year's formula for compensatory picks?
yeah, but he'll have to play alot and do well to help us.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Even though we don't get any draft pick compensation this year; will this factor into next year's formula for compensatory picks?

They give them for players lost who were transition tagged, logically the League would be acting consistently if they gave them for undrafted RFAs also.

[bronco militia]

yeah, but he'll have to play alot and do well to help us.

not really...draft pick compensation is based more on playing time and the contract offer Herndon recieved from the Hawks.

check out the Gold and Berry compensation thread.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

and there's another $320k or so in extra cap room now.

[bilrob]

Even though we don't get any draft pick compensation this year; will this factor into next year's formula for compensatory picks?

We will get two 3rd round picks this year. #97 & #101. Next year we should get at least one, maybe two additional picks for the loss of our sarting DE, whose name slips my mind, and Kennedy. Both were starters.

[DennisSmithHOF]

Herndon was also a starter

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Well maybe that si the "Plan". Load up on third and fourth round choices in next years draft which is projected as a very deep draft.

[eddie mac]

We will get two 3rd round picks this year. #97 & #101. Next year we should get at least one, maybe two additional picks for the loss of our sarting DE, whose name slips my mind, and Kennedy. Both were starters.

At this moment in time if you based the comp picks on contract alone we would get 3 picks as we have not signed any UFA's or RFA's from other teams. Warren was a trade and Gold was cut by the Bucs.

Hayward would be a 4th rounder (5 years $25 million) Avg $5m per year
Kennedy a 5th rounder (5 years $14 million) Avg $2.8 mil per season
Spragan a 7th rounder (2 years $1.9 million) Avg $950k per year.

So if we do not sign anymore UFA's/RFA's during this offseason we'd be guaranteed 3 picks, the rounds would rise depending on playing time/performance.

[Rascal]

Well maybe that si the "Plan". Load up on third and fourth round choices in next years draft which is projected as a very deep draft.

to bad you can't trade them.

[ro_50]

The onus now is on Middlebrooks. He did have his moments last year before getting injured.

[dbroncos31]

not really...draft pick compensation is based more on playing time and the contract offer Herndon recieved from the Hawks.

check out the Gold and Berry compensation thread.
yeah that's kinda what i meant ??? i did say play alot. i didn't know it was about contracts, too. But i thought they said something about offseason honors having sumthin to do with it. Like if herdon, hayward and kennedy all make the pro bowl, we'll get extra. or if one of them wins like d player of the year. so when i said play well, i meant pro bowl to get us better picks.

[IHaveALight]

The league isn't going to give us anything for Herndon next year. He was a restricted free agent and we could have tendered him higher. They arn't going to reward us for low balling him.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

The league isn't going to give us anything for Herndon next year. He was a restricted free agent and we could have tendered him higher. They arn't going to reward us for low balling him.

Just like how the Bengals and Chiefs got 3rds for transition tagging Spikes and Tait respectively when the franchise tag was out there too.

[IHaveALight]

Differant situations. I will be very suprised if we get anything for Herndon.

[eddie mac]

Differant situations. I will be very suprised if we get anything for Herndon.

You're right about Kelly Herndon not counting in the formula but you're wrong about Gold counting.

This is from the guy that predicts them each season:

In order to qualify for the comp equation, a player must have been a true Unrestricted Free Agent whose contract had expired or was voided after the previous season (i.e., he cannot have been released by his old team); he must sign during the UFA signing period (which ended on July 22 last year); if he signs after June 1, he must have been tendered a June 1 qualifying offer by his old team; he must sign for at least a certain amount of money per season; and he cannot have been permanently released by his new team before a certain point in the season (which seems to be after Week 10) or, possibly, before getting a certain amount of playing time. One potential qualify-ing player this year, Mike Compton, was released by Jacksonville on Sept. 5 and then re-signed on Sept. 23. Because players who were released and re-signed by the same team in the past have quali-fied for the comp equation, I am projecting that Compton will qualify this year.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

If Homogrin wants to overpay for an inconsistent defensive back, let him.

Herndon was the one consistent DB we had last year. The guy can play!

[bilrob]

At this moment in time if you based the comp picks on contract alone we would get 3 picks as we have not signed any UFA's or RFA's from other teams. Warren was a trade and Gold was cut by the Bucs.

Hayward would be a 4th rounder (5 years $25 million) Avg $5m per year
Kennedy a 5th rounder (5 years $14 million) Avg $2.8 mil per season
Spragan a 7th rounder (2 years $1.9 million) Avg $950k per year.

So if we do not sign anymore UFA's/RFA's during this offseason we'd be guaranteed 3 picks, the rounds would rise depending on playing time/performance.

You are correct. I forgot about Spragan. I just don't think we will get anything for Herdon.

[Copipes]

i bet ya Herndon has at least 5 picks next year, prolly making the pro bowl...Bert Berry anyone?

Bert Berry had 11.5 sacks in 2003, which was one of the highest totals in the league.

What did Herndon do last year? 2 picks and got burnt on a constant basis.

Let him go, Walls is going to return to '03 form and we'll be fine.

[FADERPROOF]

Pray Walls stays healthy...

[Swedish Extrovert]

Walls is good. But what about Middlebrooks? I thought he started to show his 1st rounder status last year.

[ncjmirabile]

People are making too much of the Walls injury. Herndon was injured the year before to and didn't make hardly any impact when he came back.

[SoCalBronco]

Pray Walls stays healthy...

and Willie too. I think we will be fine with both of them. Kelly was a scrappy player, all heart but the other two have more talent. If they can just stay healthy though thats the big thing.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

People are making too much of the Walls injury. Herndon was injured the year before to and didn't make hardly any impact when he came back.


What did Herndon do last year? 2 picks and got burnt on a constant basis.

Let him go, Walls is going to return to '03 form and we'll be fine.

That's complete BS!!!!!!!! Both of you!

Herndon played 99 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps last season even though he was projected to be the No. 3 cornerback behind Champ Bailey and Lenny Walls. According to Stats Inc., Herndon led the league with 23 passes defensed and had only 51 percent of the passes thrown in his direction completed.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

[ncjmirabile]

That's complete BS!!!!!!!! Both of you!

Herndon played 99 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps last season even though he was projected to be the No. 3 cornerback behind Champ Bailey and Lenny Walls. According to Stats Inc., Herndon led the league with 23 passes defensed and had only 51 percent of the passes thrown in his direction completed.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.



I meant in 2003. Herndon was out for a period of time with a hand injury and when he returned in that playoff game against the Colts he was not nearly as effective. Would it have been fair to say Herndon was injury prone then? Would it be fair to say Pryce is injury prone. No just like it isn't fair to say Walls is injury prone now.

When it comes to Herndon's stats, let's not forget some of the teams the Broncos faced.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

I meant in 2003. Herndon was out for a period of time with a hand injury and when he returned in that playoff game against the Colts he was not nearly as effective. Would it have been fair to say Herndon was injury prone then? Would it be fair to say Pryce is injury prone. No just like it isn't fair to say Walls is injury prone now.

When it comes to Herndon's stats, let's not forget some of the teams the Broncos faced.

I believe Champ Bailey faced those same teams?

[ncjmirabile]

I believe Champ Bailey faced those same teams?

Yes and Bailey was burned in some of those games like Herndon was. Also facing teams like Tennesee and Miami would tend to pad the stats of Bailey and Herndon.

I would have loved to have kept Herndon and Walls. Herndon was a solid and scrappy player. He was a good tackler, but he gave it up when came to defending the deep passes.

With Middlebrooks and Walls, you can match them up on TEs and the taller WRs. You can't do that with Herndon.

[IHaveALight]

I believe Champ Bailey faced those same teams?

Yes and Champ was almost always singled up on the other teams top wideout. While Herndon saw a lot more help on his side of the field.

[broncogary]

Yes and Champ was almost always singled up on the other teams top wideout. While Herndon saw a lot more help on his side of the field.

Well, based on the results, they should have been giving Champ the help.

[DB-Freak]

He was a good tackler, but he gave it up when came to defending the deep passes.

What are you talking about?

Champ got burned for more long passes than Herndon.

Anything to make champ look better.

They keep on saying he got torched like a bitch but cleary if you look at it Herndon never took a beating worse than Champ.

[Clockwork Orange]

What are you talking about?

Champ got burned for more long passes than Herndon.

Anything to make champ look better.

They keep on saying he got torched like a bitch but cleary if you look at it Herndon never took a beating worse than Champ.

Yeah, because the Broncos had the 6th best pass defense in the NFL with no real pressure from the front four solely because of Kelly Herndon and his amazing work against the opposition's 2nd receiver.

Yeah, Champ didn't have anything to do with it. ::)

[ncjmirabile]

What are you talking about?

Champ got burned for more long passes than Herndon.

Anything to make champ look better.

They keep on saying he got torched like a bitch but cleary if you look at it Herndon never took a beating worse than Champ.


Colbert and Peerless Price gave Herndon some fits.

I never said he was torched worse than Champ. I think it was about the same amount for both of them. My point was initially you can't label Walls as injury prone based on one season or else you would have to label Herndon the same way because of his injury in 2003.

Both of them had strong cases as to be the starting CB in 2005. Both started for a full year and had similar stats when it came to passes deflected. Herndon had a few more interceptions and Walls forced a few more fumbles. I was saying I would have liked to have had both of them, but if I had to choose I would take Walls because he gives more options in coverage because he can be matched up on a TE.

I personally thought in 2003 Herndon and Walls were a solid duo.
Would it have been better to invest that money in the d-line than in Bailey?

[~Crash~]

The onus now is on Middlebrooks. He did have his moments last year before getting injured.


Middlebrooks and the word injured....now were have i heard that before !?!?

tell me this what happend to him this year ? I cannot remember ?

this is his last year on his rookie contract . 6 years if I Remember right ?

[Ratboy]

What are you talking about?

Champ got burned for more long passes than Herndon.

Anything to make champ look better.

They keep on saying he got torched like a bitch but cleary if you look at it Herndon never took a beating worse than Champ.

No he didnt.

Herndon was burnt atleast once a game. He let Peerless Price look like a probowler.

Kelly Herndon is nothing. We have 2 better CB's that were on IR. If it wasnt for that, Herndon would have been warming the bench!

[Atlas]

That's complete BS!!!!!!!! Both of you!

Herndon played 99 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps last season even though he was projected to be the No. 3 cornerback behind Champ Bailey and Lenny Walls. According to Stats Inc., Herndon led the league with 23 passes defensed and had only 51 percent of the passes thrown in his direction completed.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

People could say he had 23 pass defense because teams were throwing at him instead of Bailey.

People could also say that if he had 23 passes defense why did he only have one int.??

[mosca]

herndon played hard and well last year... maybe he wasn't worth all that money but he stepped in just fine. i'd prefer to keep him over walls, sure he doesn't have the height advantage but walls is too injury prone if you ask me.

[Atlas]

herndon played hard and well last year... maybe he wasn't worth all that money but he stepped in just fine. i'd prefer to keep him over walls, sure he doesn't have the height advantage but walls is too injury prone if you ask me.

Why would you say Walls is injury prone? Last year was his first year with injuries. He seperated his shoulder three times because he never got a chance to let it heal completely. I wouldn't call that being injury prone.
I like Walls better than Herndan... That being said I like Herndan he is tough and gives it his all but Denver can't pay their nickleback $3 mill a year. If they did Walls would demand his deal redone and he'd have a point.

[DB-Freak]

Colbert and Peerless Price gave Herndon some fits.

I never said he was torched worse than Champ. I think it was about the same amount for both of them. My point was initially you can't label Walls as injury prone based on one season or else you would have to label Herndon the same way because of his injury in 2003.

Both of them had strong cases as to be the starting CB in 2005. Both started for a full year and had similar stats when it came to passes deflected. Herndon had a few more interceptions and Walls forced a few more fumbles. I was saying I would have liked to have had both of them, but if I had to choose I would take Walls because he gives more options in coverage because he can be matched up on a TE.

I personally thought in 2003 Herndon and Walls were a solid duo.
Would it have been better to invest that money in the d-line than in Bailey?

Ok I agree on parts but here's the thing.

Tried to find CBs that didnt have games that caused them fits several times a season.

Second Walls might be able to line up with tightends but has a very hard time hanging with quicker and smaller WRs which Herndon can do well.

[Atlas]

Ok I agree on parts but here's the thing.

Tried to find CBs that didnt have games that caused them fits several times a season.

Second Walls might be able to line up with tightends but has a very hard time hanging with quicker and smaller WRs which Herndon can do well.

That is true. I'm sure Denver would look at putting Bailey on the smaller quicker WRs even if the bigger wr is the other teams number one.

[ncjmirabile]

Ok I agree on parts but here's the thing.

Tried to find CBs that didnt have games that caused them fits several times a season.

Second Walls might be able to line up with tightends but has a very hard time hanging with quicker and smaller WRs which Herndon can do well.


Denver had a tough decision to make because Herndon and Walls had strong cases to be a starter in Denver. Walls missed some time to injury in 2004, but Herndon was out for injury in 2003. Both guys will probably never be elite CBs. It is a tough argument to pick one guy over the other. Walls can match up against the taller WRs and TEs whereas Herndon will struggle with this area. Herndon can go against the smaller WRs. Herndon does lack speed to defense the outside deep pass. Walls was having problems with the breaking routes. They have similar cases to be the starter. Can anyone say beyond a shadow of a doubt that one of these guys clearly has a stronger case than the other? In my opinon no.

I like both of them and would have prefered to keep both. Bailey was supposedly brought in because of secondary problems against the Colts in the 2003 playoff game. I wonder if anyone wants to rethink their opinion now and say that maybe the 2003 and 2004 playoff loss was due to ineffective pass rush than a leaky secondary.