I will be doing a series of articles that will be taking a methodical team by team approach to next year’s possible free agents. I will be starting with the team that has the least amount of salary cap space and ending with the team with the most. I will try to give a brief description of as many of the possible free agents as I can. I will also be looking for players that might be salary cap cuts in order for their teams to make room to sign some of these possible free agents. Any information anyone else can contribute on these players would be very much appreciated.
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The San Francisco 49ers will have a whole ton of money for 2017 NFL free agency. Head there to check out our breakdowns of all 31 other teams’ free agents and cap space.
The Denver Broncos are projected to be $30,225,385 UNDER the cap (all salary info via Over The Cap) for 2017 and with only 38 players under contract. I will be surprised if the Bronco do not grab a player early in free agency.
(EastBayNinerFan has the combined total of the salary cap surplus carry over from 2016 and the cap space for 2017 as $38,868,440)
Dollar figures listed are player’s 2016 cap hit.
34OLB DeMarcus Ware - $8,010,418
DeMarcus Ware is 34 years old and was originally drafted by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2005. Ware signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2014 after being released by the Cowboys. He has four sacks and 14 tackles this season. Maybe being 34 is a little old for OLB?
34DE Vance Walker - $2,250,000
Vance Walker is 29 years old and was originally drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. Walker signed with the Broncos in 2015 after being released by the Chiefs. He has been on injured reserve this season after suffering an ACL tear in August. He had 33 tackles and two sacks in 2015.
34DT Sylvester Williams - $2,412,375
Sylvester Williams is 28 years old and was drafted by the Broncos in the first round of the 2013 draft. Williams has 26 tackles and one sack this season. Pro Football Focus has him rated pretty low but that is pretty normal for a 34 nose tackle.
QB Austin Davis - $1,250,000
Austin Davis is 27 years old and was originally picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Rams in 2012. Davis signed a one year contract with the Broncos after being cut by the Browns earlier this year. Davis’ biggest year was in 2014 when he started 10 games, completed 180 passes in 284 attempts for 2,001 yards and a 63.4 completion percentage.
RB Justin Forsett - $208,235
Justin Forsett is 31 years old and was originally drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 draft. Forsett is reaching the end of a long up and down carrier.
WR Jordan Norwood - $880,000
Jordan Norwood is 30 years old and was originally picked up by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. Who can forget his punt return in the Super Bowl? Norwood has 20 catches for 2015 yards this season and 25 punt returns for 204 yards.
34OLB Dekoda Watson - $600,000
Dekoda Watson is 28 years old and was originally drafted by the Bucs in the seventh round of 2010 drafts. Watson signed with the Broncos in May of this year. He has 13 tackles and no sacks.
34DE Billy Winn - $600,000
Billy Winn is 27 years old and was originally drafted by the Browns in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. Winn signed a one year contract with the Broncos in July. He has 18 tackles on no sacks this season.
CB Kayvon Webster - $821.950
Kayvon Webster is 25 years old and was drafted by the Broncos in the third round of the 2013 draft. Webster has eight tackles and no sacks this season.