Broncos Announce Hire of New Cap Wizard Rich Hurtado

We learned last week that the Denver Broncos had decided not to renew the contract of Mike Sullivan — the team's resident cap wizard of eight years.

We knew then that the odds were good that President of Football Operations/GM John Elway likely had his eye on a replacement when deciding not to retain Sullivan and we learned on Wednesday who that name is.

Rich Hurtado has been hired as the Broncos' new Vice President of Football Administration. As a negotiator who's been on both sides of the table, as a player rep and as team negotiator, Hurtado brings more than a decade of NFL experience to the table.

What happens next for the Broncos in free agency and the draft? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

For the last 11 years, Hurtado has worked as a business partner of powerhouse player agent Todd France, even after France's agency merged with the conglomerate CAA (Creative Artists Agency) five years ago. It's worth noting that France represents soon-to-be free agent S Justin Simmons, which portends well for the Broncos.

Hurtado crossed the Broncos' orbit in years past as a negotiator for CAA. He negotiated the Aqib Talib contract (2014), Demaryius Thomas' extension (2015) and Emmanuel Sanders' extension (2016). The Broncos clearly respected what Hurtado did for those players and are hoping he can put that same tough-nosed negotiating savvy to work for the team.

Hurtado spent four years (2005-08) in football administration with the Philadelphia Eagles before his foray into player representation. Hurtado worked his way up the job ladder in Philly as a salary cap analyst before landing a promotion as manager of football administration.

With the Eagles, Hurtado managed the salary cap planning, research and compliance functions. He also served as the team’s primary liaison with the NFL Management Council regarding CBA matters and worked directly with Vice President of Player Personnel Howie Roseman on negotiations with players on contracts.

Hurtado's responsibilities in Denver are likely to mirror what he did for Roseman in Philly, not only salary cap management and contract negotiations but also the structuring of player contracts/offers. The Broncos enter the 2020 offseason under threat of a player exodus with multiple starters hitting unrestricted free agency.

From players like Simmons, who's coming off a second-team All-Pro nod and likely to command a max contract, to DL Derek Wolfe, Shelby Harris, and Adam Gotsis, to four-time Pro Bowl CB Chris Harris, Jr., Hurtado's plate will be be full right out of the gates.

A trial-by-fire awaits Hurtado in his new role with the Broncos. It'll be interesting to see how he helps the team navigate the pitfalls of what could be a momentous and pivotal offseason.

Hurtado graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Decision and Information Sciences (DIS). After working for eight years as a managing consultant at IBM, he went on to earn his MBA from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business in 2006.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.