If proximity counts, Jason Elam is closer to becoming an Atlanta Falcon than he is a Denver Bronco. Way closer.
Elam, the Broncos’ kicker the past 15 seasons, is in Atlanta visiting with the Falcons.
“We’ll see what transpires,” said Jack Reale, Elam’s agent.
The Broncos are standing firm on the three-year offer they believe is comparable to, if not better than, the current deals of other aging kickers.
Elam may be 38, but there is evidence he is not a typical aging kicker. His four walk-off, game-winning kicks last year were the most by an NFL kicker since 1990, and he finished the season by making his last 15 field-goal attempts.
With 1,786 career points, which rank sixth in NFL history, and a stated goal of reaching the 2,000 milestone, Elam wants to kick at least two more years. The Broncos’ proposal has virtually no money guaranteed past 2008.
Should Elam sign with his hometown Falcons, Matt Prater would get the first chance to become the Broncos’ new kicker.
Draft update.
Jay Cutler must be safe. There were 22 teams attending the pro day workout Tuesday of Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and the Broncos weren’t among them. Making up for the Broncos’ absence were the Kansas City Chiefs, who have the No. 5 pick. They had their top four evaluators there: general manager Carl Peterson, coach Herm Edwards, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and quarterbacks coach Dick Curl.
However, there will be at least one Broncos representative attending Vanderbilt’s pro day Friday — Cutler. The Denver quarterback will be throwing to his former college receiver Earl Bennett, who will be auditioning for several teams. Cutler’s current team is among those considering Bennett in the second round.
Footnotes.
This would explain why the Broncos dealt offensive lineman Chris Myers to the Texans for a sixth- round pick. Chiefs free-agent center Casey Wiegmann will visit the Broncos today, according to the NFL Network. Wiegmann, 34, made 111 consecutive starts for the Chiefs, so he would be strong insurance for Tom Nalen, the Broncos’ 14-year center who is coming off a torn biceps injury. . . . The arraignment hearing for Broncos defensive tackle Marcus Thomas in a Clay County, Fla., courtroom has moved from today to March 26.
