Hindsight: Grading our 2013 Free Agent Signings

[v2micca]

Seemed like a good time to do it and analyze how we think the front office did with our Free Agent signings. All numbers quoted here came from Overthecap.com and Profootballfocus.com.

As a disclaimer, I'm using pff's cumulative grading system here. So, your mileage may vary.

Wes Welker
2013 cap number: $4,150,00
2013 Regular season grade: 8.2

Obviously, his missed playing time affected his year end grade. As it is, he finishes at number 30 among active receivers on the year. Solid production for the price tag. I give this signing a B.

Terrance Knighton
2013 cap number: $1,750,000
2013 Regular season grade: 24.1

Pot roast decided to put up one of his best years of his career. A 24.1 grade puts him at number 9 among eligible defensive tackles. And his salary has been borderline larceny for the Broncos given his production. I give this signing a solid A.

Lois Vasquez
2013 cap number: $3,250,000
2013 Regular season grade: 33.6

What else needs to be said about Vasquez at this point. He transformed a position of weakness from 2012 into a position of dominance in 2013. He ranks third among active Guards and only graded out lower than PMFM himself among Broncos. A+ signing.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
2013 cap number: $2,900,000
2013 Regular season grade: 13.0

Count me among those who were less than pleased when this signing was originally announced. However, I was more than happy to have DRC cram my confirmation bias down my throat. DRC finished the year grading out at 5th overall among active defensive backs. This was a nice low risk signing that worked out pretty well for us. B+.

Quentin Jammer
2013 cap number: $1,500,00
2013 Regular season grade: 4.4

Unfortunately, not all low risk signings work out quite as well. His terrible recent performance not-withstanding, Jammer didn't grade out horribly for us in the regular season. We didn't get a ton of production out of Jammer, but we didn't pay a ton for him either. C

Shaun Phillips
2013 cap number $1,400,000
2013 Regular season grade: 6.6

Shaun Phillips was brought in as a cheap option to replace some of departed Elvis Dummerville's production. To the surprise of no one, he has fallen short in the pass rush department grading at an abysmal -7.5 for the season. However, he has been light years ahead of Elvis in the Run defense grading out a 8.4 for the year. 6.6 overall puts him at 18 among active DEs. Decent production, cheap price tag. B-

Dan Koppen
2013 cap number: $1,015,000
2013 Regular season grade: NA
Stewart Bradley
2013 cap number: $1,200,000
2013 Regular season grade: NA

Injuries are part of the game, but they particularly suck when they strike before a meaningful football snap. Koppen was a panic signing that eventually became irrelevant when Manny Ramirez transformed into an all world center on us and Bradley felt like a throw $#!+ against the wall and see if it sticks signing. We've had some luck with those in the past, but not here. Still, we didn't sink too much money into these guys. D+.


Overall, I would have to say, pretty good year for the front office. Interested in your thoughts.

[txtebow]

I wanted Karlos DANSBY badly ......

[LetsGoBroncos]

I wanted Karlos DANSBY badly ......

Talk here in AZ is the Cardinals are going to have a tough time re-signing him.

[v2micca]

Dansby did have a solid year in a year were there appeared to be a dearth of good interior linebacker play league wide. Seriously, PFF only has 15 ILBs with a positive year end grade. It was bad.

Given the market, Dansby has probably set himself up for a decent payday in the 2014 free agent market.

[Mountain Bronco]

I would bump Welker to a A- based on his touchdown production, which I think is the highest of his career.

Would also bump Phillips to A- based on the price factor. Dude has played really well and his contract was a steal. He has actually been a better pass rusher without Miller on the field.

[Kaylore]

I have to laugh at the increasingly fewer and a fewer critics of this front office who look at the body of free agents they brought in and then bitch about Dansby.

[Bronco Boy]

PFF? Pftt.

[v2micca]

No doubt Welker has been big for us, particularly in the Red Zone. But we have paid for his production and injuries have been a factor in his playing time this year. Factor in that he was upgrading a unit that was already considered an area of strength for the Broncos and can't see myself giving this signing an A. B+ maybe.

Based purely on his PFF grades, Shawn Phillips has been solid, but not really dominant for us. Lately has has been good against the run and not a liability in the pass rush. Even for his cheap price tag that level of production gets a B- from me.

[DENVERDUI55]

No doubt Welker has been big for us, particularly in the Red Zone. But we have paid for his production and injuries have been a factor in his playing time this year. Factor in that he was upgrading a unit that was already considered an area of strength for the Broncos and can't see myself giving this signing an A. B+ maybe.

Based purely on his PFF grades, Shawn Phillips has been solid, but not really dominant for us. Lately has has been good against the run and not a liability in the pass rush. Even for his cheap price tag that level of production gets a B- from me.

For Phillips price he gets a A from me based just on last week's game.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

I have to laugh at the increasingly fewer and a fewer critics of this front office who look at the body of free agents they brought in and then b**** about Dansby.

He's the new Ed Reed of the board! People just want to bitch

What more needs to be said about Vasquez? Apparently he turned into a woman. Lois!

[Smiling Assassin27]

Mincey needs some love. Still an incomplete grade but he just might have saved our bacon on the DL with Wolfe and Vick gone.

[v2micca]

He's the new Ed Reed of the board! People just want to b****

What more needs to be said about Vasquez? Apparently he turned into a woman. Lois!

Meh, I would put it more in the Brandon Mebane level of bitching we saw a couple of seasons ago. Nothing will ever compare to the Ed Reed!!! whining we endured for over a decade.

[ColoradoDarin]

Dansby was a high profile name at a position of need that signed in AZ for cheap. Of course everyone wanted that.

That said, between the draft and F/A, I am super impressed with the Elway FO regime. Lots of hits with only a few misses and no misses that have caused big damage (aka Ihop/Dale Carter type), their biggest "miss" is Ty Warren (in quotes, because injury really isn't a miss).

[Br0nc0Buster]

Phillips has 12 sacks so far including 2 in our playoff game and was only paid $1 million dollars

He has been one of the best value signings in the league

Of course he isn't "dominant", you don't get dominant players for $1M

[WolfpackGuy]

Dansby was a high profile name at a position of need that signed in AZ for cheap. Of course everyone wanted that.

That said, between the draft and F/A, I am super impressed with the Elway FO regime. Lots of hits with only a few misses and no misses that have caused big damage (aka Ihop/Dale Carter type), their biggest "miss" is Ty Warren (in quotes, because injury really isn't a miss).

Didn't Warren first injure his arm or whatever falling down coming out of the tunnel or something?

I didn't think it was a bad signing, it was just bad luck he never really got on the field.

At least they were able to restructure some of that money.