How Broncos' Cash Commitments at RB & TE Impact 2023 Outlook

The Denver Broncos have made the majority of their offseason moves, some more recent as they fine-tune the roster before training camp begins.

We now have a better idea about how much the Broncos will commit in terms of money toward the roster going into 2023. We can also get a better idea about the money commitment in 2024, given who is currently under contract with the team.

In the coming weeks, I'll continue to review each positional group and look at the money that's currently being committed to the biggest names in 2023, what can be expected for 2024, and what changes could potentially happen, which then affects the money committed.

In what is the final installment of this series, we'll look at the running backs and tight ends. Both positions share a similarity in that the Broncos aren't committing a lot of money for the next two years. Things could change after that, but those are decisions for down the road.

RB & TE Roster for 2023

Current RB roster: Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, Tyler Badie, Tony Jones Jr., Jaleel McLaughlin.

Current TE roster: Greg Dulcich, Chris Manhertz, Albert Okwuegbanum, Nate Adkins, Tommy Hudson, Adam Trautman.

Largest cash commitments for 2023: Perine received a $3M signing bonus that is fully guaranteed, while his $1.5M base salary isn't guaranteed. Manhertz received a $1.35M signing bonus and has a $1.59M guaranteed base salary, plus a $510K per-game roster bonus. The two combine for $9.75M in cash commitments.

Largest cash commitments for 2024: Perine is due a $2.83M base salary and a $170K per-game roster bonus, none of it guaranteed money. Manhertz is due a $2.14M base salary and a $510K per-game roster bonus, with $500K of base salary fully guaranteed.

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What could change in 2023: It's possible the Broncos could add Dalvin Cook, who is a street free agent, but that likely depends on how much money he wants. There are a couple of players who would be on the roster bubble, but they aren't due a large sum of money. Okwuegbanum, for example, is due a base salary of just $1.01M.

What could change in 2024: The Broncos could cut either Perine or Manhertz next season if they wish. Manhertz's guaranteed base salary likely has offset clauses, meaning the Broncos wouldn't be on the hook for the money if he signed elsewhere.

The other question could be, what happens with Williams? If he shows he is fully recovered from his significant knee injuries from 2022 and plays well in 2023, the Broncos might consider extending him before the 2024 season starts. However, that is far from certain.

Williams also has a chance to earn performance escalators if he gets enough snaps in 2024. But those escalators are dependent upon his recovery from injury.

READ: How Broncos' Cash Commitments at ILB Impacts 2023 Outlook

Bottom Line

The Broncos are committing less than $10M to two players among the current running backs and tight ends. These are the two positions in which they aren't committing a lot of cash.

That might change if they add Cook in the coming months, but there's no guarantee they do so. It's possible that could change in the future, though.

If Williams is extended, it's more likely to happen during the 2024 season, or even after it. That way, the Broncos have a large sample size of work from Williams following his injuries.

As for tight ends, Dulcich has three years left on his rookie deal, so the earliest he could be extended is 2025. He might earn some escalators by then, but otherwise, you can expect to have him on a cheap salary.

It's possible the Broncos could sign a free agent in 2024 or beyond, but the smart strategy may be to commit money to drafted players who prove themselves. If current drafted players don't work out, the Broncos can always draft replacements rather than spend money in free agency.

This wraps up the series about cash commitments by position. We'll next look at the veteran, multi-year contracts to see which ones are or aren't good value for the Broncos.

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