9 Broncos Set to be Restricted Free Agents Following 2021 Season
For the past couple of months, I've deep-dived on multiple Denver Broncos entering the final year of their contracts. The veterans I've discussed are all eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2022, unless they're extended.
There is another group of players who are eligible for free agency next year but of a different type. These Broncos will be restricted free agents.
A restricted free agent (RFA) is a veteran who has accrued three NFL seasons but isn't under a rookie contract of a former draft pick. Either the player went undrafted, or he was drafted but waived from his contract before it expired.
Such an RFA may be given a first- or second-round tender, which means that if an outside team signs the player to an offer sheet and the original team doesn't match, the second club must send that corresponding pick as compensation.
There is also the original-round RFA tender, which is usually applied to drafted players who were waived before their rookie contract expired. The compensation received for not matching an offer sheet is the pick in which the player was drafted.
Finally, there's the 'right of first refusal' tender, which results in no compensation being relinquished if an outside team doesn't match an offer sheet the player garners on the market. This tender, thus, is mostly used on depth players who have produced no evidence they could be potential starters.
A word of note about potential restricted free agents for 2022: they first have to make the 53-man roster and play out the bulk of the season. In other words, if the Broncos waive one of these players and don't bring him back, they won't have a decision to make about them in 2022.
The Broncos have nine potential RFAs after this coming season, some of whom stand a good chance of making the 53-man roster and some who might not make it. Let's look at these players.
Malik Reed | OLB
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Reed went undrafted in 2019 and made the Broncos' 53-man roster, starting eight games and getting two sacks. In 2020, he started 13 games and got eight sacks, which led the team.
On one hand, fans shouldn't read too much into his sacks, because Reed often took advantage of other players creating pressure. On the other hand, he's shown he can be a productive depth player who can at least be a complementary piece in the pass rush.
It's likely Reed makes the 53-man roster again. If he continues to show he's quality depth, giving him the second-round tender makes sense. He would give the Broncos some peace of mind if they don't bring Von Miller back in 2022.
While Reed isn't yet a long-term solution as a starter, he would at least give the Broncos an experienced edge rusher to pair with Bradley Chubb, while figuring out where else to look to find Miller's replacement.
Calvin Anderson | OT
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Anderson was signed off the New York Jets practice squad in 2019 and got his first opportunity at playing time in 2020. He started two games and showed signs that he can at least be a solid swing tackle.
Going into 2021, Anderson enters an interesting situation. The Broncos' right tackle spot remains a question and while the team added Bobby Massie and Cameron Fleming in free agency, Anderson has a chance to claim that starting job.
If Anderson wins the job and plays well, a second-round tender would be a no-brainer. If he only sticks around as depth, he might be worth the 'right of first refusal' tender because teams aren't likely to sign a clear depth player to an offer sheet.
Keeping Anderson would at least give the Broncos a low-cost option at offensive tackle, while the team looks for another player who could be the long-term solution.
Andrew Beck | FB/TE
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Broncos claimed Beck off waivers from the New England Patriots in 2019 and he played all 16 games, starting six, as a tight end. In 2020, he played 10 games, missing a few games because of a hamstring injury.
Although the Broncos don't utilize a fullback in their offense at this time, Beck has been a good special teams player, plus he can still be utilized as a blocking tight end. That gives him a shot at making the roster again this year.
If Beck does make it, though, that doesn't make him a candidate for an RFA tender because the cost would be too high (at least $2M) for somebody who mostly plays special teams. He could be kept on a one-year deal, but to justify an RFA tender, he has to really stand out.
Trey Marshall | S
Getty
Marshall signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2018, didn't make the 53-man roster, but was added to the practice squad, then promoted to the active roster late in the season. In 2019, he made the active roster and started two games, getting 25 tackles and two fumble recoveries. In 2020, he mostly played special teams.
The Broncos retained Marshall as an exclusive rights free agent and, given his value on special teams, he has a chance to make the 53-man roster again. However, it's not guaranteed that he will because the Broncos drafted Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson earlier this year.
If Marshall does make the final cut, he'll be in the same situation as Beck — a player who most likely doesn't get tendered because it would cost too much money for a depth player. However, like Beck, he could be brought back on a one-year deal, especially with Kareem Jackson not likely to be back next year.
DeShawn Williams | DL
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Williams has been part of multiple NFL teams since 2015 when he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson. That included two stints with the Broncos, once in 2016 and once in 2019, in which he never got past the practice squad.
In 2020, though, the Broncos signed Williams again and he was promoted from the practice squad after starting nose tackle Mike Purcell was lost to a season-ending injury. Williams made quite an impression in his 11 starts, with two sacks against Tua Tagovailoa in Week 11 and an intercepton off Cam Newton in Week 6.
But if Williams makes the roster this year, he will likely be a depth player. He'll be 30 years old in 2022, so one shouldn't get caught up in his 2020 performance to justify an RFA tender. If he shows he's quality depth, a one-year deal isn't out of the question. To get an RFA tender, though, Williams must prove in 2021 that he's a worthy starter.
Diontae Spencer | WR
Getty
The Broncos claimed Spencer off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 and he became the primary return man. He came along slowly in 2019, but played better in 2020, getting his first punt return for a touchdown.
Spencer stayed with the Broncos as an exclusive rights free agent and is currently the top return man on the depth chart. However, Tyrie Cleveland and Kendall Hinton are competing for the job, so it's not a given that Spencer makes the roster.
If Spencer indeed makes the roster, he's another player that isn't guaranteed to get an RFA tender because he'll be 30 years old in 2022, so it wouldn't be surprising if the Broncos look for younger players next season to handle punt and kick return duties.
Austin Schlottmann | IOL
Getty
Schlottmann signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He spent that season on the practice squad, then made the active roster in 2019, serving as a depth player, but has six starts to his credit the past two seasons.
This year, Schlottmann is in danger of not making the 53-man roster. The Broncos took Quinn Meinerz in the third round of the 2021 draft and even if he doesn't start, he's a strong bet to be a top depth player. Then there's Netane Muti, a sixth-round pick in 2020, who is a threat to claim a depth spot, too, and could render Schlottmann the odd man out.
Even if Schlottmann does make the roster, don't count on him getting an RFA tender in 2022. It's better to go with less expensive options for offensive line depth.
Josh Watson | LB
Getty
Watson was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2019 and was placed on the practice squad. He was activated in November and mostly played special teams. In 2020, he was on the practice squad to open the season but was often called up to the active roster for special teams, thanks to the roster modifications made because of COVID-19 protocols.
Watson isn't guaranteed to make the roster in 2021 especially with Baron Browning and Justin Strnad expected to lead the competition for depth at off-ball linebacker. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if Watson gets added to the practice squad again.
If Watson does make the 53-man roster and plays the bulk of the season, he is another player who wouldn't get tendered as an RFA but might be a candidate to be re-signed to a one-year deal to compete for a depth spot.
Austin Fort | TE
Getty
Fort has shown promise in training camp the past two seasons, but the 2019 undrafted free agent has never taken a snap because he's twice been injured in training camp and lost for the season each time.
Why would Fort be a restricted free agent in 2022, then? Because of a quirk in what an accrued season means — a player who is placed on season-ending injured reserve before the season is said to have 'accrued' a season for the purposes of eligibility for free agency.
Fort will have to prove himself in training camp or he may not make the final cut. If he does make it, though, he'll have to really stand out to justify an RFA tender. Otherwise, the best he can hope for is a one-year deal.
Follow Bob on Twitter @BobMorrisSports.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
