LB Alex Singleton Pounds Table for Broncos to Re-Sign Josey Jewell
An uncertain future looms for many Denver Broncos players at the moment. Veteran inside linebacker Josey Jewell is one of those players, as his contract with the Broncos just expired
Some players are destined for a nomadic career in the NFL. Having only ever suited up for the Broncos, Jewell hopes to continue that streak, as he shared his reflective thoughts at his locker on Monday following the team's 23-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the season finale.
Jewell used the possessive "we" when discussing his and the team's 2024 outlook with reporters.
"Who knows what's gonna happen with that, and Coach [Sean Payton] has talked about that a little bit. I love the continuity right now that we have with our team, especially with the defense. Everybody likes each other, honestly," Jewell said via reporter Denver Sports' Andrew Mason. "There's no douchebags out there, so that's nice. It's hard to communicate with some of those guys when they are. So, everybody loves each other in this locker room, and that's what's so great about it, and I think we build some things going into next year."
After posting the third 100-tackle season of his six-year career, Jewell is sure to receive offers elsewhere that may be tempting. It's unclear whether the Broncos plan to be among the teams making an offer to the veteran linebacker, who was the team's fourth-round pick out of Iowa back in 2018.
Jewell gave the Broncos locker room a ringing endorsement, although it's a collection of players he may ultimately have to leave behind. He is a leader in that locker room, and if he departs, it'll leave a significant vacuum, especially with team captain Kareem Jackson having been waived and landing in Houston.
Jewell has played in 78 games (58 starts) for the Broncos since arriving in 2018. His tackle-heavy partnership with fellow linebacker Alex Singleton has blossomed, with both players eclipsing the triple-digit tackle mark in back-to-back seasons.
The Broncos' starting linebacker duo combined for 285 tackles this past season, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Singleton enthusiastically advocated for the Broncos to keep the linebacker duo together moving forward, revealing his confidence that the team brass will ultimately be in agreement.
"It's been awesome," Singleton said via Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. "It's been the best duo I've been in, and that's saying a lot because I think me and T.J. Edwards played really well together in (Philadelphia). I definitely hope it's not the last time. I'm going to bank on that."
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) is tackled by Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (49) as linebacker Josey Jewell (47) defends in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Complicating a possible Jewell re-sign are the Broncos' salary cap issues, so it won't be easy for GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton to keep the band together. The Broncos are currently projected to be over the cap by around $24 million, and with the $85 million dead-money hit looming on Russell Wilson's contract if the quarterback is released, something has to give.
Last season, the Los Angeles Rams found themselves in a similar salary-cap bind, but they're now in the playoffs after a rapid roster makeover, so there are contemporary case studies of NFL teams overcoming 'cap hell' to be found.
However, a big reason for the Rams being able to rise above their financial obstacles was head coach Sean McVay staying committed to veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, and based on the reporting over the past two weeks, it doesn't seem as if Payton holds similar feelings toward Wilson.
Just like everything else this offseason, the Broncos' complex situation under center will have a serious trickle-down effect on every other player on the roster. Jewell may want to return, but the gravity of the Broncos' precarious salary cap situation could tie the team's hands relative to the free-agent linebacker and other players.
As one anonymous rival general manager told ESPN's Jeff Legwold, NFL teams poised to absorb exorbitant dead money on the salary cap have to embrace going young when it comes to roster building.
"You can deal with dead money, but you better be ready to be young, real young, and it's easier if you're young around a quarterback you want to have for a long time," the anonymous GM told Legwold.
Jewell remains optimistic that the stars will align for him to sign a third contract with the Broncos.
"Hopefully, I come back here, but we'll see where it takes us," Jewell said via Mason.
The Broncos only have one solid contingency in place at linebacker in 2023 third-rounder Drew Sanders. Jonas Griffith will enter free agency after missing all of the 2023 campaign and half of 2022.
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