Broncos Free Agency Tracker: Sean Payton and George Paton dive into the second wave

NFL free agency opened on Mar. 11 across the league.

But the Denver Broncos were relatively quiet. This wasn’t, however, a surprise. In fact, the Broncos had been telling us this was going to be the case for nearly a year.

After the Broncos spent the most money of any team in the league in free agency last year, Greg Penner told reporters at the NFL owners meetings last March that Denver was not going to be big spenders in free agency every year. George Paton reiterated those comments after the season and added the Broncos will focus their attention on the later waves of free agency this year instead.

“We won’t be in on the first wave of free agency like we were last year. You can’t do that every year,” Denver’s general manager said on Jan. 9, two days after the season ended. “We’ll be very strategic and very specific on what positions and what players we try to sign.”

Well, the first wave of free agency has passed. Welcome to the next wave of free agency, where the Broncos will be in the mix.

Here’s the latest with the Broncos’ free agency and where the team stands.

You can find the moves the team made in the first wave of free agency here and the moves they made before free agency began here.

Most recent updates

Wednesday, Mar. 27

• The Broncos agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth up to $14 million with WR Josh Reynolds, a source confirmed to DNVR.
  • The 6-foot-3, 194-pound receiver joins the Broncos after spending the last two and a half seasons with the Detroit Lions. Last season, Reynolds had 40 catches for 608 yards and five receiving touchdowns.
  • Reynolds plays inside and outside and will help replace Jerry Jeudy after the team traded him.
  • Reynolds was a fourth-round pick in 2017 out of Texas A&M.

Friday, Mar. 22

• The Broncos made an offer to CB Kristian Fulton before he decided to sign with the Chargers.

Wednesday, Mar. 20

• The Broncos signed OT Matt Peart to a one-year contract, a source confirmed to DNVR.
  • Peart was a third-round pick out of Connecticut in 2020 after being named First team All-AAC in 2019.
  • In his four seasons with the New York Giants, the 6-foot-7, 315-pound tackle played in 43 games, including seven starts.
  • Peart is expected to add depth and compete for the team’s swing tackle spot behind Garett Bolles at left tackle and Mike McGlinchey at right tackle.

Tuesday, Mar. 19

• ILB Justin Strnad is returning to the Broncos on a one-year deal. The move comes hours after it was reported Strnad was going to sign a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. The 27-year-old linebacker had a chance of heart after agreeing to a deal with the Panthers and decided to return to Denver.
  • Denver drafted Strnad in the fifth round in 2020. After missing his rookie season due to an injury, the linebacker hasn’t missed a single game for the Broncos. He hasn’t played a defensive snap since 2021, but is a staple on special teams, where he played in 86 percent of the snaps last season.

Monday, Mar. 18

• ILB Cody Barton officially signed his one-year contract with the Broncos.

Friday, Mar. 15

• The Broncos signed ILB Cody Barton to a one-year deal worth a maximum of $4 million.
  • Barton will likely take Josey Jewell’s place in the middle of the defense next to Alex Singleton after Jewell signed with the Carolina Panthers.
  • The 6-foot-2, 237-pound linebacker played and started in 13 games for the Washington Commanders last season and racked up 121 tackles, three tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, one fumble recovery and one interception.
  • Barton was a third-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 out of Utah.
• Adam Trautman’s two-year deal with the Broncos is for $7.5 million with $5 million guaranteed. The tight end will have a $3 million cap hit in 2024 and $4.5 million cap hit in 2025.

Signed free agents

• DL Malcolm Roach
  • Two years, up to $8 million with $3 million guaranteed and a $2.5 million signing bonus
• S Brandon Jones
  • Three years, $20 million with an additional $2.5 million in incentives and $12.5 million guaranteed
• ILB Cody Barton
  • One year, with a maximum value of $4 million
• OT Matt Peart
  • One-year contract
• WR Josh Reynolds
  • Two-year deal, with a maximum value of $14 million

Traded

• Jerry Jeudy to the Browns for a 2024 fifth and sixth-round pick.

Released

• QB Russell Wilson
• S Justin Simmons
• TE Chris Manhertz

Altered contracts

• WR Tim Patrick
  • Freed up over $8 million in cap space
• OT Mike McGlinchey
  • Restructured contract to open up nearly $11 million in cap space
• DL Zach Allen
  • Restructured deal to open up cap space for the team
• OG Ben Powers
  • Restructured deal to open up cap space for the team

Team’s own unrestricted free agents

Re-signed

• S P.J. Locke
  • Two-year, $7 million contract
• OT Quinn Bailey
  • One-year, $1.055 million contract
• K Wil Lutz
  • Two-year, $8.4 million contract
• FB Michael Burton
  • One-year contract
• TE Adam Trautman
  • Two-year, $7.5 million contract
• WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
  • One-year, $1.125 million contract

Signed by a different team

• QB Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• C Lloyd Cushenberry signed with the Tennessee Titans.
• ILB Josey Jewell signed with the Carolina Panthers.
• DL Jonathan Harris signed with the Miami Dolphins.
• TE Chris Manhertz signed with the New York Giants.

Unsigned

• DT Mike Purcell
• CB K’Waun Williams
• OT Cameron Fleming
• ILB Justin Strnad
• CB Fabian Moreau
• RB Dwayne Washington
• ILB Ben Niemann

Restricted free agents

Tendered

• No activity yet.

Not tendered

• OT Quinn Bailey — Signed one-year deal instead.

Won’t be tendered

• Jonathan Harris

Exclusive rights free agents

• Michael Bandy signed a one-year deal with team.