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Donald Stephenson Contract Details

Starting a separate thread because yesterday’s thread regarding new Denver Broncos OT Donald Stephenson may be getting lost in the shuffle.

Per Mike Klis’ article, these are the details regarding Stephenson’s contract.

2016: $6M in fully guaranteed salary in the form of a $3M signing bonus and a $3M base salary. His cap hit will be $4M. (EDIT: I incorrectly listed $3M as a roster bonus.)

2017: $4M in salary, guaranteed for injury only, becoming fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. Cap hit would be $5M, releasing him would leave $2M in dead money.

2018: $4M in salary, not guaranteed. Cap hit would be $5M, releasing him would leave $1M in dead money.

So, in reality, it’s a one-year deal for $6M, then “we’ll see.”

Kris wrote that Stephenson is expected to start at right tackle.

Personally, I would expect the Broncos to draft another offensive tackle to groom, along with Ty Sambrailo. The Broncos will also need to decide what to do for a starting guard.

Danny Trevathan To Sign With The Bears

This really isn’t surprising. Best wishes to Trevathan.

I am trying to get some other work done at the office, but I will do what I can to update this page, assuming Nick doesn’t do it first.

ETA: Tweet should be correct now. As you can imagine, this has been a hectic day.

UPDATE (Nick): (8:10 PM MT) I originally cited an Ian Rapoport tweet “roughly” putting Trevathan at $7M APY, but Adam Schefter has clarified that downward:

As I thought, that puts Trevathan at a pretty clear 5th round compensatory pick value for 2017.  However, he is currently being cancelled out by the acquisition of Donald Stephenson.

Broncos Set To Sign Donald Stephenson

It is my guess that $5 million APY would be valued as a 5th rounder in the compensatory formula.  For the time being, the Broncos have been reduced to a net value 7th compensatory pick in 2017 (and it puts the Chiefs on the board with a 5th).  However, if/when Danny Trevathan signs his big deal elsewhere, it is my guess that he’ll be the one that Stephenson ultimately cancels out.

UPDATE (8:15 MT): Alex Marvez has some more detailed contract info:

That $1 million could make a difference in the 2017 compensatory picks: a $4.67M APY should be closer to the 5th/6th bubble.  If Stephenson has any workout bonuses, that will also drive his compensatory value down further.  If Stephenson is valued as a 6th, that will make it much less likely that he ultimately cancels out Danny Trevathan’s future deal.

Malik Jackson To Sign With The Jaguars

Klis says that Jackson will sign a deal that will “make him the NFL’s fourth highest-paid defensive lineman”.  If that is true, Jackson’s APY should at least $13.6M APY. (Gerald McCoy is currently 4th at that amount, if Muhammad Wilkerson’s franchise tag is ignored.)  That will be quite easily a 3rd round compensatory pick due to Denver in 2017 if they do not sign a UFA that cancels him out.

Broncos Cut Louis Vasquez, Owen Daniels, Aaron Brewer

UPDATE: 11:39 AM MT: The cuts aren’t through yet.

The salary cap savings for cutting this players are as follows:

  • Louis Vasquez: $5.5 million
  • Owen Daniels: $2.5 million
  • Aaron Brewer: $430,000

Total: $8.43 million