Ready, set, tamper.
The NFL’s two-day free agent negotiating window — also known as the legal tampering window — opened at 10 a.m., marking the unofficial start of the 2025 season.
The Broncos and the league’s 31 other teams can speak with agents for perspective free agents and come to agreement on contract terms starting this morning. Deals cannot be formally executed or announced until the 2025 league year officially begins at 2 p.m. Wednesday, but for all intents and purposes, free agency begins now.
For Denver coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton, that means a window of substantial opportunity. Before any extensions or roster moves, the Broncos are sitting near the middle of the league with more than $40 million in cap space. They could create much more if they want to or as they get contract extensions done this offseason for the likes of defensive tackle Zach Allen and wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Last year, they had to move on from several veterans and re-structure several deals just to get to $29 million in space.
That sets the club up to be as aggressive as they want to be in the coming days and weeks. Paton said last month the team will show restraint, but also left the door open for a splash or two.
The Broncos know what their needs are and, critically, what they are not. They’ve done their homework on running backs and tight ends — the search for a “Joker” is in full gear — and they’re committed to improving up the middle of the defense.
Around the league, teams have been rushing to get their own players back and clearing cap space by releasing veterans with expensive contracts. Denver got in on the action Sunday, too, agreeing to bring back defensive tackle D.J. Jones on a three-year deal worth around $39 million, and long snapper Mitch Fraboni with a three-year deal. They could also aim to bring back any of several several other role players from 2024’s roster among their 11 remaining impending unrestricted free agents.
Either way, the Broncos are armed with cap space and a full suite of draft picks. Payton likes to say that free agency and next month’s draft fit together like a puzzle.
Now comes the starting point: Securing the pieces to add.
NFL free agency updates
Day 3: Wednesday, March 12
2:11 p.m.: Ladies and gentlemen, they got him.
After two days shrouded in confusion, with the Broncos bringing in free-agent tight end Evan Engram on a visit only for him to leave the building without a contract, Engram’s agent Mike McCartney that Engram was inking a two-year deal with Denver. It’s the splashiest signing of a free-agency period that’s shaping up to check plenty of boxes for the Broncos, as Denver honed in on Engram as the right “Joker” for head coach Sean Payton’s system and sealed the deal Wednesday.
It’s a two-year, $23 million deal with $16.5 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to The Denver Post.
The Broncos outmuscled their AFC West rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, for Engram, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported yesterday that . Suddenly, Payton and second-year quarterback Bo Nix have a dynamic, big-bodied threat in Engram, a two-time Pro Bowler who caught 114 passes with the Jaguars in 2017.
Engram caught 47 passes for 365 yards and a touchdown in nine games in 2024, limited by a season-ending torn labrum.
2 p.m. Happy 2025 (in the NFL world)! As of 2 p.m., it is officially the new league year.
That means contracts, trades, releases and more can become official now. — Parker Gabriel
1 p.m.: The Broncos didn’t have any players rank in the top 25 league-wide in performance-based bay, but several players were awarded good chunks of cash.
Performance-based pay is distributed by the league to players based on a formula that weighs their playing time against their salaries. In 2024, the NFL distributed more than $452 million in PBP league-wide.
The Broncos’ leaders:
CB Ja’Quan McMillian: $773,090
C Luke Wattenberg: $662,587
CB Riley Moss: $650,787
TE Nate Adkins: $592,869
ILB Justin Strnad: $544,900
OLB Jonah Elliss: $482,119
OLB Nik Bonitto: $464,702
Other notables include QB Bo Nix at $296,508. The Broncos all told received more than $14.1 million in PBP.
11 a.m.: Salary cap information for Trent Sherfield, who is getting a two-year deal from Denver to be a special teams ace:
2025: $2.26 million
2026: $3.74 million
In other salary cap-related news, the NFL Players Association put out official adjusted cap numbers for teams based on 2024 carryover. The Broncos, as expected, rolled over very little and sit at $280.63 million for their total cap. With Sherfield and Strnad in the fold, Denver’s got about $30 million in cap space before accounting for the three big deals from the start of the week in D.J. Jones, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga.
7:45 a.m.: The Broncos are bringing back another of their own, agreeing to a one-year, $2.7 million deal with inside linebacker Justin Strnad, sources confirmed to The Post on Wednesday morning.
Strnad had been exclusively a special teams player for multiple seasons, but when Alex Singleton tore his ACL in Week 3, the 2020 fifth-round pick jumped into the rotation and played extensively.
Strnad, the last member of the 2020 draft class to remain with Denver, ultimately played 676 defensive snaps (59%). In 2022 and 2021, respectively, he’d played 86% and 84% of Denver’s special teams snaps.
Strnad is the second inside linebacker signed by the Broncos in recent days, following Dre Greenlaw on Monday. He’s also the fifth in-house free agent Denver’s retained, joining DT D.J. Jones, QB Jarrett Stidham, LS Mitchell Fraboni and OT Matt Peart. — Parker Gabriel
Day 2: Tuesday, March 11
6:15 p.m.: The Broncos found a wide receiver they think fits their mold and can be an impact player on special teams.
Denver on Tuesday agreed to contract terms on a two-year contract with veteran journeyman receiver Trent Sherfield, sources confirmed to The Post.
Sherfield, 29, started his career in Arizona and has played for a different team in each of the past five seasons. This will be his sixth team in as many years.
Sherfield played in all 17 games for Minnesota last year and caught eight passes for 83 yards while also logging 221 special teams snaps. In 2023, he appeared in all 17 games for Buffalo and caught 11 passes for 86 yards. His best statistical season came for Miami in 2022 when he caught 30 balls for 417 yards. — Parker Gabriel
2:10 p.m.: The Broncos officially announced their thee-year deal for long snapper Mitchell Fraboni. The veteran will make the league minimum over the life of the contract but got a $600,000 signing bonus and has his 2025 salary guaranteed for a total of $1.7 million in guaranteed money.
1:22 p.m.: One tight-end domino has fallen for the Broncos. After New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson was linked constantly to the Broncos in free agency, Johnson’s agent AJ Vaynerchuk confirmed on social media that Johnson was agreeing to a three-year deal to return to the Saints.
As the status of free-agent target Evan Engram still dangles in a distant void, the Broncos’ options for a Joker-style TE are thinning, with odds looking increasingly likely they’ll target a piece in April’s NFL Draft.
1:20 p.m.: Sean Payton is nothing if not loyal. After special-teams ace Tremon Smith agreed to a two-year deal with the Houston Texans, the Broncos have reached out to free-agent gunner Justin Hardee, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Hardee was named a first-team All-Pro on special teams with the New York Jets , and begun his career with the New Orleans Saints under Payton after he went undrafted out of Illinois. It’d be an important signing for Denver, needing to stabilize the special-teams unit under new coordinator Darren Rizzi, who coached Hardee with the Saints in 2019 and 2020.
12:30 p.m. A quiet start to Day 2 for the Broncos — there, that aught to spark some action — so let’s go through some number crunching. Using OvertheCap data, NFLPA data and other reporting, we’ve got an idea of some of the cap implications for Denver’s work over the past few days.
Though we’re still waiting on details on the three biggest deals — D.J. Jones, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga — a few others are known.
Here’s what the 2025 cap numbers look like for a handful of returning Broncos.
QB Jarrett Stidham: $4 million
OT Matt Peart: $2.75 million
LS Mitch Fraboni: $1.3 million
Those, according to OTC data, would put the Broncos at about $35.4 million in space before the three big deals. Those will take a chunk out of the remaining space — depending on the structure of each, potentially somewhere in the $15-20 million range — but leave Denver with plenty of breathing room going forward.
And, it’s a good time to reiterate, the Broncos will create considerably more space if they come to contract extensions with DL Zach Allen or WR Courtland Sutton later in the offseason.
9:45 a.m.: The Broncos got quite a bit of business done on Day 1 and before the outset of free agency, not only adding ILB Dre Greenlaw and S Talanoa Hufanga but also retaining several of their own players before the negotiating period starts.
With Dixon off to Tampa Bay, punter becomes an obvious need. Denver is also still working the tight end market and could explore adding a receiver, a running back, more experience in the secondary or special teams-specific help after losing Tremon Smith to Houston.
There are also still a handful of their own free agents on the market, including guys who have been Sean Payton stalwarts like fullback Mike Burton and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey. So, perhaps Denver will make another splash with Evan Engram — he visited Denver yesterday — or Juwan Johnson at tight end or with a surprise at another position. But most of the remaining work in free agency will be about filling out smaller roles. — Parker Gabriel
9:22 a.m.: We’re back! And after a busy Monday that ended with plenty of optimism for Denver, Tuesday’s negotiation window began with a slight loss for Denver, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Broncos punter Riley Dixon is headed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a two-year, $6 million deal.
It’s another big shift in a special-teams group that’ll look more different than any unit that trots out at Empower Field this fall. In mid-January, head coach Sean Payton fired special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica and replaced him with previous New Orleans Saints colleague Darren Rizzi; on Monday, the Broncos lost special-teams staple Tremon Smith on a two-year deal to Houston. Now, they’ll be in the market for a new punter, as two-year starter Dixon is signing elsewhere.
Dixon ranked third in the NFL in total punts in 2024, but just 22nd in the league at 46.7 in yards per punt, slightly below league average. There aren’t a wealth of upgrades on the market, though.
Day 1: Monday, March 10
Must-read stories:
Analysis on Denver landing Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga | Broncos’ national grades | Javonte Williams to Cowboys
5:35 p.m.: The Broncos double-dipped on adding what they hope will be impact defenders from San Francisco.
The team on Monday evening landed inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw after a fight with multiple other teams for the veteran inside linebacker’s services. Denver is giving Greenlaw, 27, a three-year deal worth $35 million, a source with knowledge of the contract told The Post.
Greenlaw shone with the 49ers in 2022 and 2023, recording back-to-back 120-tackle seasons as a lynchpin of a strong San Francisco defense. The move comes with risk, however, as Greenlaw barely played in 2024 after suffering an Achilles tear in Super Bowl 58. Both he and Alex Singleton are coming off devastating injury; if healthy, though, Greenlaw and Alex Singleton could form one of the best ILB duos in the league. — Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans
5:25 p.m.: It’s looking increasingly probable that Denver will look to April’s NFL Draft for running-back help, as the available market has thinned — and four-year mainstay Javonte Williams inked a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, according to sources.
A 2021 second-round pick who authored a dynamic rookie season, Williams never quite looked the same after a devastating ACL tear in 2022, rushing for 3.6 yards per carry in 2023 and 3.7 YPC in 2024. He still served as a consistent receiving threat out of the backfield, and was the erstwhile veteran of a young RB room. — Luca Evans
4:27 p.m.: After a one-year stint with Denver in 2024, quarterback Zach Wilson is heading to Miami on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The 2021 second-overall pick endured a much-maligned three seasons with the New York Jets before the Broncos traded for him ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, setting up a one-year stint in Denver in a cushy quarterback room alongside Jarrett Stidham and starter Bo Nix. Wilson didn’t see the field for the Broncos in 2024, but impressed in the preseason, earning himself an opportunity with the Dolphins as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup.
The move firmly entrenches Jarrett Stidham as the Broncos’ backup behind Nix come 2025, with Denver likely needing to dig up a third-string quarterback. — Luca Evans
3:25 p.m.: Denver’s plans at middle linebacker are set to shift come 2025. Free agent Cody Barton is signing with the Tennessee Titans, , after a one-year stint with the Broncos.
Barton was a major steadying presence to Denver’s defense after Alex Singleton tore his ACL early in 2024, playing in all 17 games and recording 106 tackles and five pass deflections. It seemed likely, however, that the Broncos would look for an upgrade at middle linebacker next to a returning Singleton.
That upgrade appears to be free agent Dre Greenlaw, a former standout for the San Francisco 49ers who missed most of 2024 with an Achilles injury. A source told the Post that the Broncos were in the final three-team mix to sign Greenlaw, and that he’s seeking a multi-year deal. It’d plug a major hole for Denver, as the club’s significantly thin at middle linebacker.
If they don’t land on Greenlaw, the club’s also been in contact with veteran ILB Denzel Perryman, a source told the Post. The 32-year-old has been nicked with injuries for a few years, but made a Pro Bowl with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 and offers a potential backup plan. — Luca Evans
1:02 p.m.: The Broncos are solidifying the middle of their defense, just like they said they planned to.
Denver on Monday agreed to a three-year contract with former San Francisco safety , multiple sources confirmed to The Post. The deal, a source said, is worth up to $45 million and comes with $20 million guaranteed.
Hufanga has dealt with multiple injuries over the past two years, but when healthy he’s one of the best safeties in the game.
The 26-year-old was a fifth-round draft pick of San Francisco in 2021 and quickly made his mark.
He played in 15 games as a rookie and then burst onto the scene in 2022, racking up four interceptions, a pair of forced fumbles, five tackles for loss and 97 tackles overall. That earned Hufanga first-team All-Pro honors and a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Since then, he’s dealt with injuries and appeared in just 17 games over the past two seasons.
Hufanga tore his ACL in Week 11 of the 2023 season. After he returned last fall, he injured his wrist and was limited to seven games.
In Denver, Hufanga will add quality depth to a safety group that was solid but unspectacular in 2024. Brandon Jones, signed in free agency last year, turned into a pleasant surprise and played the best football of his career. P.J. Locke started opposite him and played, admirably, through a broken thumb. Overall, though, Denver felt the need to upgrade the talent and depth levels in the room.
Hufanga, if he can put together a healthy season, will do just that in a substantial way. — Parker Gabriel
12:45 p.m.: As safeties start to come off the board, a target’s emerging for the Broncos at a key position of need. They’ve reportedly been in talks with former San Francisco All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga, according to ESPN. That certainly tracks given Denver’s want to upgrade at the position and the fact that others have been signing around the league.
Cam Bynum got four years and $60 million from Indianapolis, Tre’von Moehrig got from Carolina and Eric Murray got three years and $22.5 million from Jacksonville. — Parker Gabriel
11:45 a.m.: The Broncos made their re-signing of backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham official. It’s a two-year deal worth up to $12 million (with $7 million guaranteed), a slight pay raise from a $10 million deal he signed to come to Denver in 2023. He
The only question left for the Broncos’ QB room: will Zach Wilson return? Bo Nix, Stidham and Wilson were a chummy group in 2024, and Wilson offers a high-upside option as a young backup. —Luca Evans
11:40 a.m.: One of Denver’s most important special-teams pieces from 2024 is heading to Houston, as a source confirmed to the Denver Post that Broncos free-agent cornerback Tremon Smith is signing a two-year deal worth up to $7.5 million with the Texans.
It’s a deserved opportunity for Smith, who recorded just nine tackles over two seasons with the Broncos but played all 17 games in both 2024 and 2025 as a key special-teams “gunner.” The Broncos will likely have a different special-teams identity in 2025, with Smith gone to the Texans and former special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica replaced by Darren Rizzi. —Luca Evans
11:30 a.m.: The Broncos are re-upping with another depth piece, as a source confirmed to The Denver Post that Denver is re-signing tackle Matt Peart to a two-year deal worth $7 million. The deal can scale up to $10 million with incentives, the source said.
It’s not a flashy signing, but Peart’s an important reserve for an offensive-line group that the Broncos have used considerable resources to keep together. With Peart’s deal, all six of the Broncos’ highest-workload offensive linemen from 2024 — according to snap counts from Pro Football Focus — will return in 2025, with Denver committing over $55 million in cap space to the position group this upcoming year.
The 27-year-old Peart appeared in all 17 games for the Broncos in 2024, starting two games and racking up a total of 190 snaps in the best overall season of his career. A third-round pick by the New York Giants in 2020, he spent four uneven seasons with the Giants, starting a career-high five games with New York in 2021. — Parker Gabriel/Luca Evans
10:15 a.m.: One thing to watch this morning: Would not be a surprise at all if the Broncos are in the mix for former San Francisco ILB .
Greenlaw is coming off injury, but when he’s healthy he’s one of the best middle-of-the-field defenders in the business. He was expected to have a strong market in the first place and it’s only strengthened in recent days as top-of-the-board linebackers like Zach Baun, Jamien Sherwood and Nick Bolton have signed deals to return to their former teams. — Parker Gabriel
10:05 a.m.: One random thought after Carolina signed CB Jaycee Horn to a record $25 million per year contract: Pat Surtain II is already a bargain. — Parker Gabriel
8:30 a.m.: Denver didn’t even have to wait for the negotiating window to open to potentially address one of its foremost needs.
The Broncos had former Jacksonville and New York Giants tight end Evan Engram in Denver on Monday, a source confirmed to The Post, for a free agent visit. Because Engram was released by Jacksonville last week, he’s free to sign anywhere as soon as he wants and isn’t governed by the limitations set by the NFL for the negotiating period.
Engram, 30, dealt with injury issues in 2024 that limited him to nine games. First a hamstring problem and then a labrum injury in December that ended his season.
When he is healthy, though, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end delivers something the Broncos have sorely missed in recent seasons: A vertical threat and a tight end that has to be accounted for regularly in the passing game.
Engram caught 114 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns in 2023 and posted 700-plus receiving yards three times total in his first seven pro seasons. Last year he finished with 47 catches and 365 yards.
The visit, among other things, allows Denver to get a good sense of Engram’s health. As the negotiating window kicks off today, they can also start talking with the agents for pass-catchers like former New Orleans tight end Juwan Johnson and others. — Parker Gabriel
8:00 a.m.: As teams cannonballed head-on into offseason moves before Monday’s free-agency negotiating window ever opened, making splash after splash in signing cut-for-cost vets and trading for disgruntled stars, the Broncos swung mightily on … their backup quarterback and long snapper.
Both were priorities, certainly. Agreeing to re-sign Jarrett Stidham stabilizes a solid backup for Bo Nix, and Mitchell Fraboni was named a Pro Bowl alternate for his work as a long snapper in 2024. But Monday’s available market has thinned considerably across the past week.
Stud receiver Davante Adams, released by the Jets for cap relief, signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams. Running back Aaron Jones, theorized as a fit for Denver due to his versatility on the ground and through the air, re-upped with the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker Nick Bolton, one of the top ILBs potentially available come Monday and a definite target for the Broncos, inked a three-year extension with Kansas City.
As the Broncos still look for potential help at the skill positions, linebacker and in the secondary, there isn’t a wide stable of big-name upgrades left to pick from. But plenty of intrigue remains. Tight ends Evan Engram and Juwan Johnson could give Sean Payton a serious Joker, and former San Francisco 49ers staple Dre Greenlaw, as well as a handful of other linebackers, still dangle in the mix. — Luca Evans
