I think it's bye bye Thomas next year

[MarshallMoss]

Tough year to watch fellow diehards. We really have been spoiled for the majority of 30 years watching this team. Hopefully we can come up with another once in a decade talent in this years draft just like we did the last time we stunk it up and got Von Miller.

I was looking at over the cap, and saw that if we cut Demaryius Thomas post June 1st in 2018 we save $8.5 million against the cap and only eat $3.5million. This makes it almost a certainty that Thomas is gone. Thoughts?

https://overthecap.com/player/demaryius-thomas/17/

(just be sure to click - post June 1st cut - up top as it is on pre June 1st cut as default)

I wouldn't mine seeing our young receivers like Latimer, Fowler, Taylor and Henderson take over along side Sanders.

[broncolee]

I think the draft and free agency will determine whether Thomas stays or goes. Outside of Sanders, I'd be worried about relying on what else is on the roster.

[shawinkerpoppin]

We have seen enough of Latimer and Fowler to know they barely cut it as 3rd options god forbid they ever end up #2 on the depth chart long term. Latimer would probably be out of the league if he wasn’t good on special teams.

[onanygivensunda]

I was looking at over the cap, and saw that if we cut Demaryius Thomas post June 1st in 2018 we save $8.5 million against the cap and only eat $3.5million. This makes it almost a certainty that Thomas is gone. Thoughts?

https://overthecap.com/player/demaryius-thomas/17/

(just be sure to click - post June 1st cut - up top as it is on pre June 1st cut as default)

The shortcoming to that strategy (post-June 1st cut next year) is that the cap savings cannot be realized (meaning you can't spend it on free agents) until after June 1st, which is 2.5 months after the start of free agency. All the highly sought-after FAs will be gone by then.

And even if the club were to do that, they would have to take another dead money hit of $3.5M in 2019.

Cutting him before June 1st means an immediate dead money cap hit of $7M but with a 2018 cap savings of $7M, which WOULD be available to extend players and/or sign free agents starting mid-March. Also, there would be no dead money hit in 2019 this way.

[Hadez]

I think the draft and free agency will determine whether Thomas stays or goes. Outside of Sanders, I'd be worried about relying on what else is on the roster.

This here

as much as DT and his contract annoys people if we only had Sanders our pass offense would be the easiest in the NFL to stop

regardless of his consistency issues DT has the tools to take over a game...has had big games...and defenses need to respect that

If it was Sanders and the rest of what we have minus DT...it would be simple...double Sanders and shut us down

[dizzolve]

I would love to see if Denver could get SOMETHING out of him

I think he's pretty much done playing football. He might keep playing but his heart isn't in it. It's that simple

Rather get some compensation if it's possible then making sure he retires a bronco

[MarshallMoss]

I would love to see if Denver could get SOMETHING out of him

I think he's pretty much done playing football. He might keep playing but his heart isn't in it. It's that simple

Rather get some compensation if it's possible then making sure he retires a bronco

I agree with this

[MarshallMoss]

The shortcoming to that strategy (post-June 1st cut next year) is that the cap savings cannot be realized (meaning you can't spend it on free agents) until after June 1st, which is 2.5 months after the start of free agency. All the highly sought-after FAs will be gone by then.

And even if the club were to do that, they would have to take another dead money hit of $3.5M in 2019.

Cutting him before June 1st means an immediate dead money cap hit of $7M but with a 2018 cap savings of $7M, which WOULD be available to extend players and/or sign free agents starting mid-March. Also, there would be no dead money hit in 2019 this way.

Ok. Good points.

[Mosk]

Yeah, I would hate it if Latimer or Fowler were the #2 WR next year. We would be in serious trouble. Like others have mentioned, they barely cut it as a #3/#4 WRs. Latimer couldn't even beat out Fowler, Taylor, or Norwood for playing time in past seasons. I have no belief in him whatsoever to all of a sudden become a weapon on offense.

Latimer was drafted before Allen Robinson and Jarvis Landry, man. What could've been haha.

I think this could very well be DTs last season with us. Once upon a time, DT undoubtedly deserved that money. Unfortunately, that time may have passed. Hopefully that contract can be re-worked, if not, we may have to trade or cut ties. We could find a cheaper alternative via free agency or the draft. I'm still holding out hope for Carlos Henderson.

[onanygivensunda]

The shortcoming to that strategy (post-June 1st cut next year) is that the cap savings cannot be realized (meaning you can't spend it on free agents) until after June 1st, which is 2.5 months after the start of free agency. All the highly sought-after FAs will be gone by then.

And even if the club were to do that, they would have to take another dead money hit of $3.5M in 2019.

Cutting him before June 1st means an immediate dead money cap hit of $7M but with a 2018 cap savings of $7M, which WOULD be available to extend players and/or sign free agents starting mid-March. Also, there would be no dead money hit in 2019 this way.

Correction: the 2018 cap savings would be $5M if Thomas is cut before June 1, 2018... not the $7M I stated above. Sorry bout that.

[ELWAY421]

I think he will be asked to take a pay cut, and it'll all go from the there. I can see a similar situation in Dallas with Bryant. It's funny because out of Thomas, AJ Green, Bryant, and Julio,

AJ, and Julio have lived up to their contracts, DT, and Dez haven't. I was a big DT fan, but he isn't the playmaker he used to be. It would stink to have that dead money, though.

[munoz1987]

Yeah, I would hate it if Latimer or Fowler were the #2 WR next year. We would be in serious trouble. Like others have mentioned, they barely cut it as a #3/#4 WRs. Latimer couldn't even beat out Fowler, Taylor, or Norwood for playing time in past seasons. I have no belief in him whatsoever to all of a sudden become a weapon on offense.

Latimer was drafted before Allen Robinson and Jarvis Landry, man. What could've been haha.

I think this could very well be DTs last season with us. Once upon a time, DT undoubtedly deserved that money. Unfortunately, that time may have passed. Hopefully that contract can be re-worked, if not, we may have to trade or cut ties. We could find a cheaper alternative via free agency or the draft. I'm still holding out hope for Carlos Henderson.

this pick killed me. i was a huge Landry fan that yr and still am. Both guys are free agents. i would love to see them Dump DT for one of these guy's. Robinson coming off an acl injury and could be in line for a 2 yr prove it contract.
Landry is exactly what we need. A WR that can get open quickly off the line leads too Easy throws for the QB.

[Butler By'Note]

I've read on another site that the Thomas contract can void after this season, but doing so will result in a $5 million cap charge for the Broncos. Might be a candidate that comes back on a reworked contract.

[rst08tierney]

What are the current odds he drops his last pay check on the way out?

In all seriousness.......with a quality VET QB he should be retained at a discounted price.

[Papa-pwn]

I think he will be asked to take a pay cut, and it'll all go from the there. I can see a similar situation in Dallas with Bryant. It's funny because out of Thomas, AJ Green, Bryant, and Julio,

AJ, and Julio have lived up to their contracts, DT, and Dez haven't. I was a big DT fan, but he isn't the playmaker he used to be. It would stink to have that dead money, though.

DT has started 98 games, AJ 97. DT has 400 more yards and 70 more receptions. DT for drop rate has caught 60.7% of his targets, AJ has caught 59.5%. Same amount of TDs, averaging .56 per game. AJ leads in ypc at 14.9 vs DT's 13.8, and he also has 4 less fumbles than DT- 9 vs 13.

DT however steps it up in the playoffs, AJ does not. Though DT has 6 more playoff games so we'll look at averages here.. Day averages 0.6 TDs 5.3 catches and 75.9 yards per playoff game at 14.3ypc. AJ 0.25 TDs 4.5 catches and 58 yards per playoff game at 12.9ypc. Both have a single fumble, while DT has a catch rate of 55.7 compared to AJ's 45%.

AJ Green signed a 4 year 60mil(15mil/year) contract in 2015, DT signed a 5 year 70mil(14mil/year) contract in the same year.

Not going to try and argue which is better, just a little comparison and some food for thought.

Julio jones is an entirely different animal, a league above both DT and AJ. Having more yards in less games than the two of them, higher ypc, higher catch%. Averaging a playoff stat line of 106.5 yards and 7.2 catches, his 5 TDs in 6 games also presents the best average of the three WRs.