Broncos Free Agency Primer: Three Tiers of Safety Options
The Denver Broncos will likely be selective in free agency in 2024, after having spent a lot in 2023. The Broncos' current cap issues mean that the team must get that situation in order first, which means it's likely they sit out the first wave of free agency.
But it's still a good idea for Broncos fans to get familiar with the pending unrestricted free agents at each position. We're going to examine the most notable free agents over the coming weeks.
With each installment, we'll look at who would be the top free agents at each position, and then look at the best options after that. We'll wrap up with other notable names, then consider who the Broncos are most likely in a position to pursue.
In this installment, we'll look at safeties, a position at which the Broncos might add a veteran given the uncertainty of who will start alongside Justin Simmons.
Top three options: Kamren Curl, Kyle Dugger, Antoine Winfield Jr.
Winfield may be the best of the safeties who are set to hit free agency. He was named to the All-Pro team this past season, went to the Pro Bowl in 2021, and could take advantage of a market in which there aren't a lot of great options.
The same could be said of Dugger, who is coming off his best season as a pro. As for Curl, he's a former seventh-round pick who claimed a starting job as a rookie and, while he doesn't have stats that jump out and grab you, is a talented player.
It goes without saying that the Broncos aren't going to be chasing after the top three options, given that they will sign deals closer to the top of the market.
Next in line: Julian Blackmon, Jordan Fuller, Xavier McKinney, Geno Stone
Blackmon is coming off his best season as a pro, though he's not the talent the top three free agents are. Fuller missed the bulk of the 2022 season but returned in 2023 and played well.
McKinney broke out in 2021 but missed eight games in 2022 before coming back in 2023 and playing well. Stone had seven interceptions and nine pass break-ups in 2023, but mostly was a depth player before 2023.
These players aren't likely to get contracts at the top of the market, so one can't rule them out as players the Broncos may consider.
Other notable names: Jordan Whitehead, Tashuan Gipson, DeShon Elliott, Alohi Gillman, Darnell Savage Jr.
The other free agents range from older players who may still have something left to younger players who haven't quite lived up to expectations.
There might be a player among these names who the Broncos consider, though if they do, it's more likely they look at a younger player like Whitehead or Elliott, rather than an older player like Gipson.
Of course, the Broncos could opt to bring back PJ Locke, who is an unrestricted free agent coming off a quality season. That might be the best thing for the Broncos to do, rather than take a chance on a free agent from another team.
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