Doctor DR said:
I think the problem with some of the fa mentioned is their value might take a hit on a move.
I think decker, moreno, and james jones become kind of sketchy if they leave town, and I'm not even really convinced moreno commands a starting job.
also, guys like tate can be a little sketchy because you just don't know where they end up.
I think the more interesting prospects are the ones uncovered by a departure, like maybe randle.
anybody you can think of that slots in behind decker, or would that be a draft pick?
I have no idea if I have any faith ball will take over for moreno -- maybe he re-signs?
Denver's going to be hard-pressed to re-sign Moreno unless he gives them a substantial hometown discount. They've got a LOT of players scheduled to hit free agency in the next two years. Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, Wes Welker, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Harris, Wesley Woodyard, Champ Bailey, Orlando Franklin... I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. Basically the entire nucleus. Hard to justify ponying up a long-term contract for Moreno when it might potentially wind up costing you one of those guys. That's why Denver tried to talk Elvis Dumervil into a pay cut, too.
Wes Welker and Champ Bailey might need walkers in 2 years.
I would see them signing more on the defensive side of the ball than offensive. J Thomas is an interesting weapon but a lot of those TEs are replaceable to some extent. It all depends on if he wants big bucks or if he is willing to be reasonable. Same goes for D Thomas.
And how many years does Peyton Manning have left? That's an interesting debate. Does he have more than 2?
The fact that their nucleus is up in two years shows the urgency for them to win now. I would not be surprised in the least if 2015 Denver is putting up 2013 Pittsburgh-type performances.
That being said, they could franchise Moreno. I don't see them giving him the long term deal he will most likely want, but they need him back desperately if they want a shot to win a few in the next couple years
Welker, probably not. The guy he replaced in this offense was the oldest receiver in the league last year (Brandon Stokley, at 36 years old). The position relies more on quickness than speed, which seems to hold up a bit better as a player ages. I think Welker could hang around as a slot receiver in Denver for another 3-4 years, should all parties be so inclined. Still, I do agree that there's a decent chance that Denver lets him walk after 2014, depending on how well he's holding up. Champ's definitely nearing the end of his career, but the front office is fond of him, and I believe if it's at all financially possible, they'll keep him around until he's ready to retire as a Bronco. But yeah, I don't think those two are going to be commanding huge cap figures, I was just listing them to be thorough.
Similarly, Von Miller has a club option for 2015 which will certainly be exercised, and could be kept on some form of transition or franchise tag for another two years after that pretty economically, so Denver doesn't really HAVE to extend him any time soon. They might choose to, but given his recent suspension, I think it's more likely they delay that commitment for a bit. Demaryius' talent is just begging for the franchise tag, although that's a pretty pricey hold, and it's in everyone's best interest if Denver can work out a long-term deal, instead. Whether he's reasonable or not, I see him in Denver for a long time to come. Woodyard, on the other hand, pretty much has to be given a new contract (honestly, I'm surprised Denver didn't do that, like, yesterday). Given Bailey's age and his play this year, I'd think re-signing DRC would be in the cards, as would extending Chris Harris. I'd expect them to let Decker walk, not because he isn't good, but because he'll be worth more to some other team than he will to Denver and I don't think they'll be able to afford him on the open market. Orlando Franklin is another guy who could become a priority re-signing in a hurry, as he's pretty much the only "Plus" run blocker on the line, and he's quietly morphed into a very good all-around RT.
I certainly do not see Denver turning into the 2013 Steelers any time soon. Yes, a lot of players are up for extensions soon, but Denver will have a lot of cap room with which to extend them. They'll have to take a haircut around the edges of the roster (Decker and Moreno being the two most obvious losses, imo), but they can easily keep the majority of this current core in place long-term, and can afford to keep Peyton around for as long as he wants to keep playing. After that, in theory, Osweiler will be ready to be handed the reins (a la Favre-to-Rodgers). Denver doesn't have an expiring window, despite common perception to the contrary. John Elway likes to say that they're not a "win now" team, they're a "win now on" team, and he's done a phenomenal job of avoiding pro-rated signing bonuses, keeping future years of his salary cap free of dead money, and building the team very sustainably. I'm highlighting all of the impending free agents not to suggest that there's going to be a mass exodus, but to point out that Denver is going to have to prioritize its spending to decide who to keep and who to let go. I think once they create a list of priorities, Knowshon Moreno will find his name pretty far down that list. He's played extremely well, but he's at the most fungible position, he has drafted replacements already on the roster, and he'd probably be the least painful of those names to move on from. I'd be absolutely shocked if they opted to franchise him, because that's $8 million they now cannot spend extending someone else. Hell, I'd imagine if they really wanted to keep Moreno around, $8 million would buy multiple years instead of just one year, and then they'd still have their tag free to use on someone else if they were so inclined (DRC and Decker would seem to be the obvious candidates for the upcoming offseason).