The Denver Broncos suffered a disappointing end to their season, losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Quarterback Peyton Manning’s future is up in the air, putting extra pressure on the Broncos to bring in players that can help them win a title next year. However, signing the wrong player could push Denver in the other direction. Here are the free agents they need to avoid:
DT Ndamukong Suh
Suh is going to be the most coveted free agent on the market, and the 28-year-old star could command up to $30 million in cap commitment per season to get him to sign on the dotted line. Denver already has a top defensive tackle in Terrance Knighton who they can re-sign for much cheaper, and while a player as dominant as Suh would drastically improve the Broncos' shaky defense, he's not worth the extremely high price tag.
TE Julius Thomas
Thomas has emerged as a star during the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos, but the team is content to let him hit the open market - and there's a reason they let him do so. He will undoubtedly command top dollar on the open market, and Denver shouldn’t invest a good portion of their salary cap in a player who has to be taken off the field because he can’t block. New head coach Gary Kubiak plans to employ his zone running scheme, meaning Thomas wouldn't be on the field very much.
DE Greg Hardy
Taking a flyer on Hardy - even after his domestic violence charges were settled in a civil suit - to invest even a fraction of Hardy’s $13 million franchise tag value from 2014 would come with intense scrutiny and major risk. Though Denver needs help on the defensive line, they will be better off finding 80-85% of his talent with 90% less baggage on the free agent market.
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