Tag: Dre’Mont Jones

Dre’Mont Jones tweets goodbye to Broncos Country

Dre’Mont Jones: “Denver gave me my first opportunity and I’m forever thankful to the city. I loved the ups and downs we shared. Take care!”

Most of the Denver Broncos’ departing free agents seem to be going out on good terms

Former Broncos guard Graham Glasgow and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson posted kind messages to Denver and its fans after leaving. Elsewhere, defensive lineman DeShawn Williams seemingly left a bit disgruntled, tweeting on his way out that the Broncos did not want him.

Defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones was more aligned with Glasgow and Anderson than Williams in his farewell message.

“Thank you Bronco’s organization and community for the last 4 years,” Jones tweeted last Friday. “The hardest part will be leaving behind the relationships that I’ve made in that building. Denver gave me my first opportunity and I’m forever thankful to the city. I loved the ups and downs we shared. Take care!”

Jones left the Broncos in free agency to sign a three-year, $51.53 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Denver will replace him with free agent addition Zach Allen, who received a three-year, $45.75 million deal.

We are tracking all of the team’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

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10 ex-Broncos have signed with other teams during free agency

Here’s a quick look at Broncos free agents who have signed with other teams this offseason.

Ten in, ten out.

The Denver Broncos have signed ten unrestricted free agents so far this offseason. The Broncos have also seen ten of their former players sign with other teams during NFL free agency.

Here’s a quick look at Denver’s ex-players who found new homes.

Broncos Wire podcast: Recapping the first wave of free agency

On this week’s Broncos Wire podcast, Ryan O’Leary and Jon Heath react to the team’s big moves in free agency and predict what happens next.

The Denver Broncos were busy during the first week of NFL free agency!

To recap the team’s big moves, I joined Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary on Twitter) on this week’s podcast to break it all down.

You can listen to Episode 75 below:

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Broncos Wire will check back in throughout the offseason with new podcast episodes to provide updates on the team’s free agency moves, NFL draft results and more.

If you enjoy the podcast, you can check out previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your podcast service of choice. Please consider giving the podcast a positive rating and review!

Our unedited notes for this week’s pod can be seen below. 

The offensive line is fixed! (Mostly) 
  • OG: Ben Powers (replacing Dalton Risner) 4 years, $52 million
  • RT: Mike McGlinchey (replacing revolving door) 5 years, $87.5 million
  • OL: Garett Bolles, Powers, [Center], Quinn Meinerz, McGlinchey
  • Denver signed two high-profile offensive linemen, a blocking tight end, a fullback and a running back. They’re going to pound the rock.
Defensive line: Dre’Mont Jones vs. Zach Allen
  • Denver signed Allen to a 3-year, $45.75M deal with $32.5M guaranteed. He’ll earn an average of $15.25M per season. 2023 cap hit: $7.25M.
  • Seattle signed Jones to a 3-year, $51.53M deal with $30M guaranteed. He’ll earn an average of $17.17M per season. 2023 cap hit: $10M.
  • Allen: 47 tackles, 20 QB hits, 8 PBUs and 5.5 sacks in 13 games in 2022.
  • Jones: 47 tackles, 10 QB hits, 0 PBUs and 6.5 sacks in 13 games in 2022.
  • Allen has spent his entire career playing under Vance Joseph.
Backup quarterback: Jarrett Stidham vs. Brett Rypien 
  • Denver declined Rypien’s one-year, $2.63 million RFA tender.
  • The Broncos then signed Stidham to a 2-year, $10 million deal.
  • Rypien: Undrafted, 2-1 as starter / 4 TDs with 8 INTs
  • Stidham: 4th-round pick, 0-2 as starter / 6 TDs with 7 INTs
Running back: Javonte Williams insurance secured 
  • Samaje Perine: 2 years, $7.5 million.
  • Good receiving back. Good blocking back. Filled in well when Joe Mixon was injured with the Bengals. Probably a good fit for Sean Payton.
  • Denver might still sign a budget back (Latavius Murray?) and I’d still like them to draft a young, cheap RB to add more depth.
Will the Broncos trade a WR? 
  • The team has gotten calls about Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler.
  • Jeudy probably has the most trade value. Teams made offers for him before the deadline last season. Patriots made contact before they signed JuJu. Denver wants “at least” a first for Jeudy.
  • Sutton tweeted last week “I just want to be where I’m wanted and appreciated.”
  • Denver was aggressive trying to sign Allen Lazard before he went to the Jets.
  • Seems like one (or maybe even both) of Sutton and Jeudy could be traded, but the Broncos have been firm in their price so far.
Nathaniel Hackett bait (seemingly) worked for the Jets 
  • Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday he wants to play for the Jets, it’s just a matter of New York and Green Bay figuring out compensation.
  • Rodgers also said Hackett is a big reason why he wants to play for the Jets.
  • Perhaps what the Broncos tried to do last year. Oh well. Rodgers turns 40 years old this season.
What’s next? 
  • Denver cut Ronald Darby and they could use another cornerback (they did sign a corner/returner Wednesday). The Eagles are set to cut Darius Slay, and he’ll be paid a lot by Philly this year. Maybe Denver could give him a one-year deal?
  • Depending on if they re-sign Kareem Jackson (and depending on how much they like Caden Sterns), Broncos might want to add a safety.
  • I’d re-sign P.J. Locke for depth.
  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson spent the first three years of his career in New Orleans playing under Payton. He has played both as a safety and as a slot cornerback. I’d love to add him and have his versatility in the secondary.
  • Denver could use more depth on the defensive line. If they can afford it, I’d like to re-sign DeShawn Williams. (Editor’s note: Williams agreed to terms with the Panthers while we were recording.)
  • The Broncos have to be close to being right up against the cap, but they could create a little more with trades and restructures are possible, too.
  • The rest can be patched up in draft (C, RB depth, WR depth, LB depth, P)

We are tracking all of the team’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

You can listen to every past episode below or at this link.

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After free agency splashes, Broncos not expected to get comp pick for Dre’Mont Jones

After making a few splash moves in free agency, the Broncos are not expected to receive a comp pick for Dre’Mont Jones in 2024.

The sting of losing defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones won’t be relieved by a third-round compensatory draft pick in 2024.

The NFL compensates teams who lost more high-priced free agents than they gained with comp picks each spring. Because they lost Jones to a big contract with the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos — in theory — could have received a third-round comp pick in 2024.

That departure, however, will be canceled out by Denver’s own splashes in free agency. In fact, the player the Broncos signed to replace Jones — defensive lineman Zach Allen — will earn enough to cancel out Jones’ candidacy for a comp pick, according to OverTheCap.com.

Denver might have also been eligible for a seventh-round comp pick for losing tight end/fullback Andrew Beck, but that loss will be canceled out by the arrival of new running back Samaje Perine, according to OTC.

The Broncos have greatly improved their roster in free agency, but that will likely prevent them from receiving any comp picks in 2024. If the signings work out, that will be a fine trade-off for Denver.

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Broncos free agency: Dre’Mont Jones vs. Zach Allen contract details

Dre’Mont Jones will earn about $17M per season. Zach Allen will earn $15.25M per season. Jones got a $20M signing bonus. Allen’s was $15M.

The Denver Broncos let defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones walk in free agency this week and they replaced him with Zach Allen, who will now reunite with defense coordinator Vance Joseph.

The Broncos gave Allen a three-year, $45.75 million contract that includes $32.5 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac.com. With a $2.5 million base salary and a $15 million signing bonus, Allen will have a salary cap hit of $7.25 million this season.

Dre’Mont Jones agreed to a three-year, $51.53 million contract that includes $30 million guaranteed. He will have a base salary of $3 million this year and a $20 million signing bonus, giving him a 2023 cap hit just north of $10 million.

Allen received $2.5 million more guaranteed, but Jones got $5 million more in a signing bonus. Jones will earn more per season on average (about $17 million) than Allen ($15.25 million).

Here are their salary cap hits for the next three years.

Zach Allen: $7.25M, $20.25M, $18.25M
Dre’Mont Jones: $10M, $18.17M, $23.17M

Allen ended up being slightly cheaper, and he had similar — and in some cases, better — production than Jones last season. He is also familiar with Joseph and the defensive scheme the Broncos will run this season.

Allen totaled 47 tackles, 20 quarterback hits, eight pass breakups and 5.5 sacks in 13 games last season. Jones recorded 47 tackles, 10 QB hits, no pass breakups and 6.5 sacks in 13 games last fall.

Allen in, Jones out. Time will tell if it was the right decision.

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Ex-Broncos DL Dre’Mont Jones expected to sign with Seahawks

The Seahawks are expected to sign former Broncos DL Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year deal.

Former Denver Broncos defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones is expected to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, according to multiple insiders. The Score’s Jordan Schultz first reported the news.

It’s a three-year deal worth $51 million, according to NFL Network’s James Palmer.

Jones (6-3, 281 pounds) entered the league as a third-round pick out of Ohio State with the Broncos in 2019. He quickly made an impact as a rotational defensive lineman as a rookie, totaling six quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups and one interception in 14 games (one start).

Jones saw his snaps increase in 2020 and he totaled 11 QB hits and 6.5 sacks in 13 games (eight starts). The defensive lineman had similar production (11 QB hits and 5.5 sacks) in 16 games in 2021.

Last year, Jones missed four games due to injury but still totaled a career-high 47 tackles and matched his career-highs for sacks (6.5). He has recorded 133 tackles, 38 QB hits and 22 sacks in four seasons (56 games) in Denver.

The Broncos found their replacement for Jones in defensive lineman Zach Allen, who agreed to a three-year, $45.75 million deal, including $32.5 million guaranteed, on Monday.

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Here’s the full list of Broncos free agents

These Broncos players are scheduled to become free agents on Wednesday.

The NFL’s new league year will begin on March 15, kicking off 2023 NFL free agency. The Denver Broncos are projected to have about $33 million worth of salary cap space this offseason, and the club could create more space with cap-saving moves.

In addition to looking for talent elsewhere, Denver might first turn its attention toward its own in-house free agents.

Here is the complete list of every Broncos player scheduled to become a free agent this spring, courtesy of Spotrac.com.

Broncos unrestricted free agents

Player
OT Calvin Anderson
OT Billy Turner
OT Cam Fleming
OL Dalton Risner
OL Tom Compton
TE Eric Tomlinson
TE Eric Saubert
TE/FB Andrew Beck
RB Latavius Murray
RB Mike Boone
RB Marlon Mack
DL Dre’Mont Jones
DL DeShawn Williams
LB Alex Singleton
LB Dakota Allen
CB Darius Phillips
DB Kareem Jackson

Broncos restricted free agents

Player
QB Brett Rypien
DB P.J. Locke
DB Esssang Bassey
LS Jacob Bobenmoyer

Broncos exclusive rights free agents

Player
LB Jonas Griffith
P Corliss Waitman
OLB Jonathan Kongbo
OL Quinn Bailey

Broncos general manager George Paton and new coach Sean Payton will have a “collaborative” partnership this offseason to improve the team’s roster ahead of the 2023 NFL season. The team’s era and Paton and Payton will kick off with the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

We will be tracking all of the team’s signings on Broncos Wire.

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100 players Broncos should have on their free agency big board

The Broncos should have these 100 players on their free agency big board this week.

The NFL’s free agency negotiating window will open on Monday (March 13) and teams will be permitted to agree to terms with free-agent players. Any potential contracts agreed to on Monday or Tuesday, though, will not become official until the NFL’s new league year begins on Wednesday (March 15).

Going into free agency, the Denver Broncos have around $33 million worth of salary cap space. Denver created about $26.5 million of that cap space last Friday when they released three players in cap-related moves.

More cap casualties could be on the way, too, and the Broncos could create additional cap space and add more draft picks through trades.

Denver has 25 players scheduled to become free agents on Wednesday. We’ve put together lists of players the Broncos should re-sign, and players the club should let walk in free agency.

We’ve also put together a list of 10 positions of need for Denver, most notable including right tackle, running back and backup quarterback.

With that in mind, here’s a look at 100 players the Broncos should have on their free agency big board this spring. Each player’s age is listed in parentheses.

15 free agent defensive linemen Broncos should consider signing

The Broncos should consider signing these 15 defensive linemen during NFL free agency this month.

The Denver Broncos have a pair of key defensive linemen scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next week.

Dre’Mont Jones (26) and DeShawn Williams (30) will be allowed to begin negotiating with other teams on Monday. Jones is the team’s most notable free agent this offseason and the Broncos have said they want to re-sign him, but it’s possible that his price might prove to be too costly.

Jones “could end up being one of the biggest winners in the open market” with a contract in the range of $18 million per season, according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. It remains to be seen if Denver will be willing to pay that much with limited salary cap space.

Williams, on the other hand, is older and less productive, so it should be easier to re-sign him. The Broncos will likely look to free agency to beef up their defensive line depth this month, especially if they lose Jones.

Here’s a quick look at 15 interior defensive linemen Denver should consider signing during NFL free agency, listed from youngest to oldest.

Stay or go: Predicting the fates of Broncos free agents in 2023

We’re predicting whether each of the Broncos’ in-house unrestricted free agents will re-sign or walk during NFL free agency this month.

The NFL’s free agency negotiating period is set to open on Monday (March 13) with free agency officially set to begin on Wednesday (March 15).

The Denver Broncos have about $11.4 million in available salary cap space before making any cap-related moves like roster cuts or trades.

In addition to considering free agents from other teams, the Broncos also have 17 in-house free agents they will need to consider re-signing this spring. These players are unrestricted free agents, so they will be allowed to begin negotiating with other teams on Monday.

Which players will re-sign with Denver, and which players will walk during free agency this month? Here are our predictions.