Realistic plans for Flacco, James, Leary, Callahan???

[FR Tim]

IMO these four players are the elephants in the room for the off-season. How the FO chooses to deal with them goes a long way to how they are able to look at the draft, free agency and the roster next season.

Just curious if anyone has heard or seen any inkling or what Elway is thinking or realistic options to get out of their combined bad contracts or dead cap money implications.

Do any of them even wear a Bronco uniform next year?

- Leary is an easy out as a team option and minimal dead cap.
- Flacco is an expensive distraction that needs the go. Doubt anyone will trade for him unless the Broncos agree to pay most of his salary.
-Is Callahan scheduled to have a full recovery and be useful next season?
- James is a mystery. Can he (or will he) play next season? Can they rely on him to even be a consistent starter? Or expensive dead weight again?

Are there realistic solutions or are the Broncos just stuck?

[JvDub95]

Flacco is a big hit, but, correct me if I'm wrong....his hit doesn't hurt us until next year? If that is the case we use his 10 mil saving this year and help build the best roster we can and just suck it up next year knowing we can't be that aggressive. If we can build a playoff roster this year because of the release of certain players it has to happen

[JvDub95]

James and Callahan should be given another opportunity to show their worth. I think they can be great additions, that is exactly what they would be too. We can basically view each as FA signed this year.

[FR Tim]

I am by no means a cap guru. Part of why I asked this question

I look at Spotrac and see some big dead money. Not sure how they defer or spread out that cost.

Flacco is owed $23 and $27 million over the next two years. With $13/ $10m dead money. James has salary of $13m but $19 m dead money.

I’m a simple guy. Is there a plan or are the Broncos stuck with paying players that will not see the field?

[HDbroncos02]

Flacco will be cut. He’s not going to want to be a backup all year long. Plus we save $10 million in cap space by cutting him as well.

James had an unfortunate injury with a torn MCL to start the year after the Oakland game, and then he tore his meniscus against Indy. So the whole year he was fighting and rushing to get back onto the field instead of resting/rehabbing to properly heal his knee. Either way he was going to face criticism from Broncos Country. His injury history is concerning, but I am optimistic that a full offseason to recover will allow him to go into the 2020 season at 100%. Yes, he is one of the highest-paid RTs in the league— so the expectation is for him to be among the league’s elite. BUT at this point, if we can get slightly above average and consistent play from him (while staying healthy), I would be happy.

Callahan was another unfortunate injury tale from last season. His foot didn’t properly heal and he needed another surgery during the season which effectively ended any chance of him seeing the field. Just like James, he will need another offseason to get healthy. When he is on the field, he’s one of the best nickel corners in the league. And he’s on a cheap contract. I have faith that he will see the field for us (eventually).

Leary is a cut candidate in the same breath as Flacco. I think we can upgrade the interior of our offensive line through the draft, and so a young starter at RG to develop under Munchak would be ideal.

[L.M.]

Read MHR article:

Mythbusting Joe Flacco’s contract

Despite what you may have read or heard, Flacco can be easily moved by Denver and his restructure didn’t add any additional cap burden onto Denver.

We're not paying Flacco any more money than what was originally owed for his 2019 one-year contract. The restructure created emergency cap room which will be rolled over into the 2020 cap.

[samparnell]

I don't expect Joe Flacco and Ron Leary will be with the team this year. I expect Ja'Wuan James and Bryce Callahan will, and hope they are healthy.

[FR Tim]

Read MHR article:

Mythbusting Joe Flacco’s contract

Despite what you may have read or heard, Flacco can be easily moved by Denver and his restructure didn’t add any additional cap burden onto Denver.

We're not paying Flacco any more money than what was originally owed for his 2019 one-year contract. The restructure created emergency cap room which will be rolled over into the 2020 cap.

Maybe I’m dense! After reading that I still come away with Broncos will be paying $13.6m on a player not likely on the roster.
Just with a positive “happy face” MHR spin on it.
Am I missing a nuance?

I agree with the above comments about giving James and Callahan a chance. Really not any other choice. Hopefully both can be healthy and be impact players.

[Butler By'Note]

Maybe I’m dense! After reading that I still come away with Broncos will be paying $13.6m on a player not likely on the roster.
Just with a positive “happy face” MHR spin on it.
Am I missing a nuance?

I agree with the above comments about giving James and Callahan a chance. Really not any other choice. Hopefully both can be healthy and be impact players.

The Broncos wouldn't be paying him anything, his money has all been paid. They will take a salary cap hit of $13.6 million. HOWEVER, they restructured his contract to create cap room because they had none of it to start the 2019 season. But you can roll cap space over to the next season, and with the portion of that restructure they didn't spend and the cap space they saved from trading Sanders, they'll be rolling over $16 million, or so, from 2019 to 2020. So Flacco's dead cap will change nothing on the 2020 cap.

[Butler By'Note]

As for the other players: Leary is gone. Callahan has $7 million in guaranteed money this year, and his cap savings will be very low (especially for a team that has $62 million in cap space before anyone is released) so it makes sense to hold onto him and see if they can salvage some value.

James is in the same boat as Callahan and more so actually. He's got a bunch of guaranteed money this year and he costs $6 million more not on the team than he does on the team. So he'll be a Bronco in 2020.

[Kyousukeneko]

You can't really cut James this year he would have a bigger cap hit than he is currently owed to make this season.

I hope we keep Callahan and he gets healthy

Leary was one of the worst guards this year and needs to go

Flacco won't be happy as a backup and is getting paid to much to be one I bet he is gone also

[FR Tim]

The Broncos wouldn't be paying him anything, his money has all been paid. They will take a salary cap hit of $13.6 million. HOWEVER, they restructured his contract to create cap room because they had none of it to start the 2019 season. But you can roll cap space over to the next season, and with the portion of that restructure they didn't spend and the cap space they saved from trading Sanders, they'll be rolling over $16 million, or so, from 2019 to 2020. So Flacco's dead cap will change nothing on the 2020 cap.

Appreciate you clarifying that for me. So his salary is absorbed by the rollover money that they could not have used for players this year anyways.

Glad to hear it. Flacco has turned into such a waste. Score last season I put my own overly positive happy face spin on bringing him in. Was I ever wrong.

The last couple years the Broncos FO has wasted a lot of cap and picks on underperforming players. It is hard enough putting a good roster together without having over $20m in salary going to players not even on the team anymore.

Going to be interesting to see how much is invested in the olineman in FA or draft. Have to trust in Munchak and now Shurmur’s vision. Who do they trust, who do they fix the weaknesses?

[FL BRONCO]

Flacco is wash with the money there is no real effect to the cap money wise. I don't expect him to be on the roster next year. He will probably be cut, but if he could be traded we would be a draft pick . Not sure if anyone would trade for him though.

If we cut Leary before the league year begins, I believe we gain 8.3 million of cap space with only 875,000 dead cap. I expect him to be gone. It will be a nice cap gain and with a relatively small dead cap.

I think both James and Callahan will be here. I have high hopes for Callahan being healthy and a nice part of this D. Fangio brought him over for a reason.

James I am afraid will just be taking up a roster spot with minimal return. We shall see.

[Butler By'Note]

Flacco is wash with the money there is no real effect to the cap money wise. I don't expect him to be on the roster next year. He will probably be cut, but if he could be traded we would be a draft pick . Not sure if anyone would trade for him though.

If we cut Leary before the league year begins, I believe we gain 8.3 million of cap space with only 875,000 dead cap. I expect him to be gone. It will be a nice cap gain and with a relatively small dead cap.

I think both James and Callahan will be here. I have high hopes for Callahan being healthy and a nice part of this D. Fangio brought him over for a reason.

James I am afraid will just be taking up a roster spot with minimal return. We shall see.

I could see the Broncos keeping Flacco if he lowers his salary to $5-7 million per season. If he were to lower his salary to $7 million then his cap hit becomes $10.4 million, which is reasonable, although it does kick his remaining bonus down the road. But I would make very clear to him that he's the backup QB and won't be starting unless Lock is injured.

[arapaho]

Read MHR article:

Mythbusting Joe Flacco’s contract

Despite what you may have read or heard, Flacco can be easily moved by Denver and his restructure didn’t add any additional cap burden onto Denver.

We're not paying Flacco any more money than what was originally owed for his 2019 one-year contract. The restructure created emergency cap room which will be rolled over into the 2020 cap.

I been saying that since he did it... some people just couldn’t grasp it