Broncos cornerback Chris Harris ( Joe Amon, The Denver Post)
SAN DIEGO — Adam Grant was the bonus baby of the Broncos’ 2011 undrafted draft class.
The Broncos signed 17 undrafted rookies coming out of the lockout of 2011. Grant, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound offensive tackle from the University of Arizona, received the largest bonus at $12,000.
He never played in an NFL game.
Next on the list of Broncos’ undrafted bonuses in 2011 was the $10,000 paid each to quarterback Adam Weber, running back Mario Fannin and receivers Mark Dell and Jamel Hamler. Weber was cut this year by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League and Fannin played for the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League. But none played a game in the NFL, according to the NFL website.
Then it was defensive tackle Colby Whitlock ($7,000) offensive lineman Curtis Porter ($5,000), receivers D’Andre Goodwin and Marshall Williams ($3,500), cornerback Brandon Bing ($3,000) and linebacker Derek Domino ($3,000). The NFL website does not recognize any of those players as playing a down in the league.
Tied for the 13th largest signing bonus: The $2,000 the Broncos gave cornerback Chris Harris. He signed a five-year, $42.5 million extension Saturday.
Not only was Harris was among the lowest-paid undrafted Bronco rookies in 2011, there were 33 cornerbacks drafted that year. Richard Sherman was the 24th cornerback taken.
Make no mistake, NFL scouts had a difficult time evaluating cornerbacks during the lockout of 2011.
Broncos 2011 undrafted free agents
Player … Pos. … College … Signing bonusAdam Grant ….. OT … Arizona ………… $12,000
Adam Weber ………. QB … Minnesota …….. $10,000
Mario Fannin …….. RB … Auburn ……….. $10,000
Mark Dell ……….. WR … Michigan State … $10,000
Jamel Hamler …….. WR … Fresno State ….. $10,000
Colby Whitlock …… DT … Texas Tech …….. $7,000
Curtis Porter ……. OL … Miami …………. $5,000
D’Andre Goodwin ….. WR … Washington …….. $3,500
Marshall Williams … WR … Wake Forest ……. $3,500
Brandon Bing …….. CB … Rutgers ……….. $3,000
Derek Domino …….. LB … South Dakota St … $3,000
James Rogers …….. CB … Michigan ……….. $3,000
Chris Harris …….. CB … Kansas …………. $2,000
Deron Mayo ………. LB … Old Dominion ……. $2,000
Ronnell Brown ……. DT … James Madison …… $1,000
A.J. Jones ………. LB … Florida ……………. $0
Austin Sylvester …. FB … Washington …………. $0
