JCMElway
03-14-2006, 11:08 PM
Don't know if this had already been posted, but I hadn't seen it here. I like the take an patience in this FA market. I wouldn't have wanted to pay what Carter and Lewis got. We shouldn't overpay for Abraham either.
The smart shoppers
Wise free-agency moves have suited Broncos in the past
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
March 14, 2006
While free-agent checks filled the air like eight-digit confetti around them, the Denver Broncos continued on a course of measured patience Monday - by choice and necessity.
It's the same course that brought them success in free agency last season and one the guy in the biggest office at their Dove Valley complex likes to see.
"All of us with this team have learned a lot over the 10, 12 years as far as how we should spend our money," owner Pat Bowlen said when asked about what he expected the Broncos' approach in free agency to be. "We've all made our mistakes; hopefully, we've learned by them. There is a lot more money coming into the system now with our new labor deal, and most of that will be passed through to the players, but I think we'll make wiser choices or more educated choices than we have in the past.
"I like the way we've gone about it here the last couple years."
The Broncos have opened discussions with several players in the past three days, but most already have decided to take their paydays elsewhere. The latest were San Francisco 49ers linebacker/defensive end Andre Carter and Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis.
Both were scheduled to visit the Broncos on Monday - Carter made his visit - but by the end of the day, the Broncos had seen Carter agree to terms with the Washington Redskins and Lewis sign a three-year, $26 million deal with the Ravens.
So while teams such as the Ravens, Redskins and Minnesota Vikings have lavished one contract after another on newcomers, as of Monday night, the Broncos had not signed a free agent from another team's roster.
In March 2005, Bowlen, general manager Ted Sundquist and coach Mike Shanahan said they weren't just going "to jump out there" in free agency unless they saw a compelling reason to do so.
They were more methodical, signing players such as defensive end Courtney Brown, running back Ron Dayne and tight end Stephen Alexander a little later in the process.
This year, with enough workable salary cap space remaining - about $4.57 million when recent contracts and other budgeted items such as the draft are accounted for - the Broncos likely have room for only one top-tier deal against the $102 million salary cap.
It might not be New York Jets defensive end John Abraham, who has drawn interest from the Redskins.
The Broncos and Jets have discussed a trade for Abraham - discussions that were far enough along to get Abraham and the Broncos to the contract stage. Abraham is looking for a megadeal but has an injury history and a 2003 arrest for driving while impaired that has caused concern for some teams.
Abraham is believed to have lined up visits in the coming days to Denver, Seattle, Cleveland and Atlanta, but that's if he escapes Washington without a deal. The deep-pocketed Redskins had him in for a visit Monday.
The Redskins do not have a first-round pick in the April draft, however, so they cannot meet the Jets' current asking price of a first-rounder.
Still, the market is thinning for the three-time Pro Bowl selection. The Cleveland Browns might have signed too many players to add Abraham to the mix and the Broncos did not advance talks Monday.
Also:
• Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel, a native of Greybull, Wyo., was trying to stir some interest from the Broncos, but no visit is yet planned.
• New England Patriots receiver David Givens received an initial call from the Broncos when free agency opened but has not heard back from the team. Givens, who spent Monday in Nashville, Tenn., with Titans officials, was closing in on a five-year, $24 million deal in Tennessee.
• Broncos free-agent defensive tackle Monsanto Pope was scheduled to visit the Jets today.
• The Patriots released former University of Colorado linebacker Chad Brown.
The smart shoppers
Wise free-agency moves have suited Broncos in the past
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
March 14, 2006
While free-agent checks filled the air like eight-digit confetti around them, the Denver Broncos continued on a course of measured patience Monday - by choice and necessity.
It's the same course that brought them success in free agency last season and one the guy in the biggest office at their Dove Valley complex likes to see.
"All of us with this team have learned a lot over the 10, 12 years as far as how we should spend our money," owner Pat Bowlen said when asked about what he expected the Broncos' approach in free agency to be. "We've all made our mistakes; hopefully, we've learned by them. There is a lot more money coming into the system now with our new labor deal, and most of that will be passed through to the players, but I think we'll make wiser choices or more educated choices than we have in the past.
"I like the way we've gone about it here the last couple years."
The Broncos have opened discussions with several players in the past three days, but most already have decided to take their paydays elsewhere. The latest were San Francisco 49ers linebacker/defensive end Andre Carter and Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis.
Both were scheduled to visit the Broncos on Monday - Carter made his visit - but by the end of the day, the Broncos had seen Carter agree to terms with the Washington Redskins and Lewis sign a three-year, $26 million deal with the Ravens.
So while teams such as the Ravens, Redskins and Minnesota Vikings have lavished one contract after another on newcomers, as of Monday night, the Broncos had not signed a free agent from another team's roster.
In March 2005, Bowlen, general manager Ted Sundquist and coach Mike Shanahan said they weren't just going "to jump out there" in free agency unless they saw a compelling reason to do so.
They were more methodical, signing players such as defensive end Courtney Brown, running back Ron Dayne and tight end Stephen Alexander a little later in the process.
This year, with enough workable salary cap space remaining - about $4.57 million when recent contracts and other budgeted items such as the draft are accounted for - the Broncos likely have room for only one top-tier deal against the $102 million salary cap.
It might not be New York Jets defensive end John Abraham, who has drawn interest from the Redskins.
The Broncos and Jets have discussed a trade for Abraham - discussions that were far enough along to get Abraham and the Broncos to the contract stage. Abraham is looking for a megadeal but has an injury history and a 2003 arrest for driving while impaired that has caused concern for some teams.
Abraham is believed to have lined up visits in the coming days to Denver, Seattle, Cleveland and Atlanta, but that's if he escapes Washington without a deal. The deep-pocketed Redskins had him in for a visit Monday.
The Redskins do not have a first-round pick in the April draft, however, so they cannot meet the Jets' current asking price of a first-rounder.
Still, the market is thinning for the three-time Pro Bowl selection. The Cleveland Browns might have signed too many players to add Abraham to the mix and the Broncos did not advance talks Monday.
Also:
• Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel, a native of Greybull, Wyo., was trying to stir some interest from the Broncos, but no visit is yet planned.
• New England Patriots receiver David Givens received an initial call from the Broncos when free agency opened but has not heard back from the team. Givens, who spent Monday in Nashville, Tenn., with Titans officials, was closing in on a five-year, $24 million deal in Tennessee.
• Broncos free-agent defensive tackle Monsanto Pope was scheduled to visit the Jets today.
• The Patriots released former University of Colorado linebacker Chad Brown.