Denver Broncos – Page 7 – North Platte Post Archive

NFL Gives 32 Compensatory Picks to 14 Teams

Posted on March 23, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) — NFC champion Seattle, Denver and Kansas City each were awarded four compensatory picks in this year’s draft.

The NFL handed out 32 such picks to 14 teams on Monday. They begin at the conclusion of the third round when Super Bowl winner New England gets the 97th overall choice.

New England lost LeGarrette Blount, Dane Fletcher, Brandon Spikes and Aqib Talib in 2014 free agency, while adding Brandon Browner and Brandon LaFell. Blount returned to the Patriots after being cut by Pittsburgh.

A team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory picks. The draft will be held April 30-May 2 in Chicago.

Seventh-Year Linebacker Reggie Walker Joins Broncos

Posted on March 19, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker/special teamer Reggie Walker on a one-year contract.

Walker is a seventh-year player who played the last two seasons in San Diego after four years in Arizona.

Walker has played in 75 regular season games with a half-dozen starts, all in 2013. His best season was 2013, when he had a career-high 36 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery.

For his career, he has 73 tackles, 3 1-2 sacks, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 25 special teams stops.

He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State in 2009.

Broncos Replace Rahim Moore with Darian Stewart

Posted on March 13, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A day after losing starting free safety Rahim Moore to the Houston Texans, the Denver Broncos agreed to a two-year deal with Darian Stewart.

The sixth-year pro had a solid season in Baltimore last year, when he secured the Ravens’ playoff win over Pittsburgh with a late interception in the end zone.

He played in all 16 games and started a career-best 14 times for the Ravens last season, recording 53 tackles, an interception, four pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Stewart played in St. Louis from 2010-13 after going undrafted out of South Carolina.

Broncos Sign DE Vance Walker to 2-Year Deal

Posted on March 12, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Broncos continued their low-key approach to free agency with the signing of defensive lineman Vance Walker to a two-year, $4 million deal Thursday.

The versatile seventh-year pro is familiar to the Broncos because he’s spent the last two seasons in the AFC West.

Walker, who turns 28 next month, was a 3-4 defensive end for Kansas City last season and a 4-3 defensive tackle in Oakland the year before that.

He spent his first four season with the Falcons, who drafted him out of Georgia Tech, where he was teammates with Broncos star receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Broncos Sign Tight Ends Virgil Green, Owen Daniels

Posted on March 10, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos moved on from Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas by signing Virgil Green and Owen Daniels to three-year deals Tuesday.

Thomas is the only tight end in NFL history to catch a dozen touchdown passes in consecutive seasons and Green has just one TD catch in his four-year career.

Yet, in new coach Gary Kubiak’s system, tight ends have to be good blockers in the run game, and that’s Green’s forte and Thomas’ shortfall.

Daniels, a two-time Pro Bowler, has played all nine of his seasons for Kubiak, first in Houston and then in Baltimore last season, when he caught 48 passes for 527 yards and four touchdowns.

Also Tuesday, the Broncos re-signed linebacker Steven Johnson to a one-year deal.

Broncos, LB Steven Johnson Agree on 1-Year Deal

Posted on March 10, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos and linebacker Steven Johnson have reached agreement on a one-year contract hours before he was set to become a free agent.

The Broncos didn’t tender Johnson as a restricted free agent, a move that would have cost them $1,542,000.

Johnson has been a top special teams player for Denver, which signed him after he went undrafted out of Kansas in 2012. He started seven of the Broncos’ final eight games at middle linebacker last year after Nate Irving’s season-ending knee injury.

Broncos Tender Restricted Free Agent Tony Carter

Posted on March 9, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have tendered a $1.52 million salary to restricted free agent cornerback Tony Carter.

The move gives the Broncos the right to match any offer the backup cornerback receives in free agency.

Carter has three career interceptions, 22 pass breakups and three fumble recoveries in his seven-year NFL career. He has appeared in 42 regular season games and five playoff games with Denver (2009-, ’11-14) and New England (2010), collecting 48 total tackles, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two dozen pass breakups.

The Broncos also announced the hiring of Ray Jackson as director of player development. He spent the last decade in a similar role with the Steelers and replaces Jerry Butler, who followed John Fox to Chicago.

Jackson played six seasons in the NFL with the Bills and Browns after a standout career at Colorado State, where he graduated as the program’s all-time leader in career interceptions (20).

Broncos Tender Top Tackler Marshall, 2 Others

Posted on March 6, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have tendered their three exclusive rights free agents, a group led by top tackler Brandon Marshall, who will receive $585,000 in 2015. Tackle Paul Cornick and guard Ben Garland will each receive $510,000.

The Broncos have two more restricted free agents in cornerback Tony Carter and linebacker Steven Johnson, and they must make a decision on them by the start of free agency Tuesday.

Marshall is a fourth-year pro and was a first-time starter last season. He led the Broncos with 110 tackles in 14 games despite missing the final 2 1-2 games with a sprained right foot that also hampered him in the playoffs. He posted 88 solo tackles, two sacks, an interception, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Peyton Manning Has Some Unfinished Business

Posted on March 5, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning will take a physical and sign his revised contract at Broncos headquarters Thursday, then head home until the Broncos reconvene April 13 for the start of offseason workouts.

Then, it’s time to adapt to new coach Gary Kubiak’s West Coast offense and continue his pursuit of a second Super Bowl trophy.

Weeks of speculation about the five-time MVP’s future ended Wednesday with word that he’s returning for an 18th season in the NFL and fourth in Denver.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Manning will take a $4 million pay cut, from $19 million to $15 million, but that he can make it all back through performance incentives. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement of the deal.

AP Source: Manning Returning for 18th NFL Season

Posted on March 4, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Peyton Manning will return for a fourth season in Denver and 18th in the NFL.

Manning will reduce his salary from $19 million to $15 million in 2015, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement.

However, he can make up all of the $4 million pay cut by reaching certain performance benchmarks.

Manning will take his physical and sign his revised contract Thursday, then return April 13 for team conditioning.

The five-time MVP mulled retirement after the Broncos’ playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. But he determined he still had the health and hunger to keep playing at age 39.