Kareem Jackson, Ja’Wuan James to Broncos: Denver works late to secure deals By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post March 12, 2019 Perhaps waiting to see how the free-agent market developed or focusing on specific targets, the Broncos took until Monday night to make their first two moves. And they were expensive additions. A league source confirmed the Broncos agreed to a three-year contract with Houston Texans cornerback/safety Kareem Jackson and a four-year deal with Miami Dolphins right tackle Ja’Wuan James. NFL Network reported Jackson’s deal will be worth $33 million ($23 million guaranteed). A source said James’ deal is worth more than $50 million, making him the league’s highest-paid right tackle. The Broncos addressed needs for an experienced and versatile player in the secondary and a pass protector for new quarterback Joe Flacco. Jackson, 30, and James, 26, can’t sign until Wednesday at 2 p.m. Combined with the acquisition of Flacco, it probably represents the big-splash additions for general manager John Elway. Jackson and James emerged shortly after Monday’s 10 a.m. opening of the negotiating window as the Broncos’ two main targets. Last year for Houston, Jackson started four games at safety before moving to cornerback for the final 12 games. He made a career-high 87 tackles plus two interceptions and 17 pass break-ups (tied for third in the NFL with Detroit’s Darius Slay). The Broncos have an opening at safety after releasing Darian Stewart last week, but new coach Vic Fangio could envision Jackson as a hybrid cornerback/safety depending on that week’s opponent and individual match-ups. The addition of Jackson still leaves the Broncos in play to draft a cornerback in the first three rounds. A nine-year veteran, Jackson has started 124 of his 132 career games and totaled 559 tackles, 16 interceptions and six forced fumbles. Jackson faced the Broncos last year at Mile High. In 66 snaps, the Denver Post charted him for 12 “factor” plays (combination of play against the run and in coverage). He had four tackles and two pass break-ups. Included was a thundering hit on Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay to break up a pass. “That hit was one of the hardest hits I’ve seen on a football field,” Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said after the game. “It was clean. It was a great hit. But he’s been doing that all year.” The ability to hit and cover will be key in the Broncos’ defense. On a given week, if Fangio wants Chris Harris to shadow a team’s No. 1 receiver, it is now doable because Jackson can play inside. A source said the Broncos intend to play James at right tackle and keep Garett Bolles at left tackle. James’ addition means the Broncos have probably moved on from free agents Jared Veldheer and Billy Turner. James, who has 62 regular-season starts, has a link to the Broncos in assistant offensive line coach Chris Kuper, a Dolphins assistant from 2016-18. In five years, James was called for 30 enforced penalties, but only three in 2018. James missed nine games in 2015 (toe) and eight games in 2017 (groin/hamstring). He was moved to right tackle in 2016 when the Dolphins drafted Laremy Tunsil in the first round. New offensive line coach Mike Munchak has projected Week 1 starters at left tackle (Bolles), left guard (Ron Leary) and right tackle (James). Center could become open if Matt Paradis doesn’t re-sign, and right guard could be filled in the draft. James joins a long list of free-agent offensive linemen added under Elway’s watch. The Broncos signed guard Louis Vasquez in 2013, offensive tackles Russell Okung and Donald Stephenson in 2016 and guard Ron Leary and offensive tackle Menelik Watson in 2017. Salary Cap Q-and-A: What will Matt Paradis, other free agents command on market? By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post March 12, 2019 The free-agent negotiating period begins Monday at 10 a.m., followed by the signing/trading period Wednesday at 2 p.m. For insight into the Broncos’ salary cap situation and what the top free agents could command on the open market, we traded emails with J.I. Halsell, a former Washington Redskins cap analyst and agent at Priority Sports who organizes the website NFLContractMetrics.com. Question: What kind of spending flexibility do the Broncos have and what is the state of their salary cap? Halsell: On Wednesday, the trade of Case Keenum to Washington and contract expiration of Brandon Marshall will become official. Additionally, the trade for Joe Flacco will also become official. From a cap standpoint, the resulting cap space will be approximately $41.5 million for the Broncos, which would rank them 11th and position them very well to add key veteran pieces to a roster currently comprised of players mostly on rookie contracts. Q: Are there certain characteristics you’ve seen from the Broncos’ front office in terms of their free- agent contracts? Halsell: The most notable characteristic of recent Broncos free-agent contracts has been that they have gotten good value on deals and have not been big spenders in the first few days of free agency when a lot of clubs are overpaying. The question then becomes, does that urgency to turn things around in short order force the Broncos to diverge from their recent, reserved approach to free agency? We shall see. Q: Center Matt Paradis is an interesting case. He was 100 percent durable until he broke his leg last October. What is your projection for Paradis’ next contract (one-year prove-it or long-term deal)? Halsell: Paradis and the Chiefs’ Mitch Morse are largely considered the top two UFA centers this year. That said, last year’s free-agency cycle proved that there’s enough money to go around for two centers to receive lucrative contracts, as illustrated by Tampa Bay’s Ryan Jensen becoming the highest-paid center in football last year at $10.5 million per year and the 49ers’ Weston Richburg (Colorado State) receiving $9.5 million per year. Given that unrestricted free agency for players like Paradis is more of an auction than it is a negotiation, I project that Paradis will receive a significant multi-year windfall that will likely range from $10-$12 million per year and very well could make him the highest-paid center in football. Q: Cornerback Chris Harris is entering the final year of his contract and is open to an extension. Based on his versatility (can play outside and over the slot receiver) what kind of contract makes sense for both sides? Halsell: Harris will be 30 years old by the time Week 1 rolls around, but I don’t think his age significantly impacts the per-year metrics of his deal. While the Bears’ Kyle Fuller had a strong 2018, he is not as accomplished as Harris. Fuller is currently the fifth-highest paid cornerback at $14 million per year. If both the Broncos and Harris can agree to a deal, I would project that deal as a three-year extension that would take Harris through his age 33 season with an average per year of $14.25-$15.5 million per year. Washington’s Josh Norman is currently the highest-paid cornerback at $15 million per year, but there’s a chance Harris surpasses Norman and becomes the highest-paid cornerback in football. Q: What are your projections on a couple of free agents (term and dollars): Chicago CB Bryce Callahan: Four years, $10-$11 million per year. Logan Ryan is currently the highest- paid slot cornerback at $10 million per year. Chicago S Adrian Amos: Three years, $8-$9.5 million per year. Free agency is auction-driven by positional supply and demand. Given the number of safeties hitting the market this free agency cycle, the supply and demand dynamics somewhat limits Amos. However, a shorter deal, like a three-year deal, would allow the soon-to-be 26-year old to get another bite at the proverbial free agency “apple” ahead of his age-29 season. Baltimore LB C.J. Mosley: Four years, $14.5-$16.5 million per year. If the Ravens wanted the market to set Mosley’s contract value, then it was surprising they did not use the transition tag to provide themselves the formal right to match any offer that Mosley would receive. By not tagging him, the Ravens run the significant risk of not having the opportunity to match and retain him. Mosley will assuredly become the highest-paid inside linebacker in football; it’s only a matter of by how much. The Panthers’ Luke Kuechly’s 2015 deal currently sits atop the inside linebacker market at $12.4 million per year and was negotiated when the salary cap was $143.28 million. The $12.4 million average was 8.6 percent of the 2015 salary cap. When one applies that 8.6 percent to 2019’s $188.2 million salary cap, the resulting APY is $16.2 million. Again, free agency is an auction and Mosley will have significant suitors. I suspect there will be a suitor willing to pay him in line with Kuechly’s 8.6 percent and thus execute a deal in excess of $16 million per year. Philadelphia WR Golden Tate: Three years, $9-$11 million per year. Tate profiles as a low-end No. 1/high-end No. 2 receiver. Players who similarly fit this profile are Seattle’s Doug Baldwin ($11.5 million per year), Tampa Bay’s DeSean Jackson ($11.16 million), Seattle’s Tyler Lockett ($10.6 million) and the New York Jets’ Quincy Enunwa ($9 million).