Report: Broncos Add Former Texans CB/KR Tremon Smith
Hundreds of millions of offensive dollars later, the Denver Broncos on Wednesday opened up their pursestrings to special teams, reportedly signing Texans free-agent cornerback/kick returner Tremon Smith.
Per KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson, Smith received a two-year deal worth a maximum of $5.5 million, with a $1.4 million signing bonus. He has base salaries of $1.1 million and $1.9 million for 2023 and 2024; the latter year includes up to $510,000 in per-game roster bonuses and up to $1 million in undisclosed performance incentives.
"Texans negotiated with Tremon Smith and attempted to hold onto him, per sources, but, ultimately, he chose the playing time opportunity that the Broncos presented along with a strong contract," Wilson noted.
Smith, 26, entered the NFL as a 2018 sixth-round pick of the Chiefs, with whom he scored PFWA All-Rookie honors, averaging 26.8 yards per kickoff return on 33 runbacks. He split the 2019 season in Green Bay and Philadelphia and the 2020 campaign in Philadelphia and Indianapolis before landing in Houston.
Altogether, as a kick returner, Smith — boasting a 4.32 forty time — has totaled 2,323 yards and one touchdown, a 98-yard house call against the Jaguars in 2021.
As a cornerback, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Central Arkansas product is less traveled, having played only 462 defensive snaps across 66 career games. His two interceptions last year set a single-season personal best.
In Denver, Smith will compete with Montrell Washington for primary return duties while functioning as a backup boundary CB behind projected starters Patrick Surtain II and Damarri Mathis.
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