Horse Tracks: Broncos could be ‘active’ in free agency… so how do they do it?

With only a small handful of draft picks and limited cap space, the Denver Broncos are going to have to shed some fat off the edges if the team hopes to win in free agency

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler listed the Denver Broncos as a team that could be active in free agency.

That makes sense on some fronts, and then on others, it kind of doesn’t.

It makes sense because for a team with limited draft picks, and no picks before the third round, yes, this team is going to have to look to the open market to fill some of their needs.

The issue? To fill those needs, room is going to have to be made. So who will be the ones who don’t pass the smell test?

It’s already been reported that sack-leader Dre’Mont Jones will be allowed to test the market. The team has also been silently (or not so much) shopping wide receiver Courtland Sutton.

While he could make some space, if someone was willing to take on his contract, he’d only be a pawn in the plans to upgrade the roster.

The not-so-discreet elephant in the room, of course, is the massive contract of one Russell Wilson, which, while not exactly handcuffing the team, does take any kind of spending frenzy off the table.

One avenue could be zeroing in on guys who either just flat out want out of their current situation or need a new lease on life.

Names that fit this billing could be Z’Darius Smith of the Minnesota Vikings and Odell Beckham, Jr., formerly of the Los Angeles Rams.

Smith, a talented edge rusher, took to social media this week to essentially release himself from the Vikings, thanking fans and doing all the other stereotypical lingo when one leaves a team. The problem? The Vikings didn’t release him and reportedly have no plans to do so. However, when push comes to shove, it’s not unheard of for players who want out to get their way, so perhaps this is one to monitor.

Beckham, Jr., on the other hand is an immensely talented wide receiver who would immediately bolster the Broncos WR corps. Players of his caliber usually aren’t so available, but given that he’s on the latter half of his career combined with the fact he’s coming off serious knee surgery, the market could be less competitive for a team like the Broncos.

Aside from situations like those two, though, it’s difficult to envision a team like the Broncos go all in on free agency, given their current cap situation, without moving some existing contracts around.

Therefore, along with guys like Sutton, does the team try and move guys like Garrett Bolles, Justin Simmons, etc.?

With the Sean Payton era now set to take off, the franchise certainly has a new lease on life, and how the team ultimately attacks free agency in his first offseason will be one of the most closely followed stories this spring.

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