NFL Free Agency Kicks Off- Broncos Get Busy

The 2013 League year officially kicked off today at 4:00 pm EST, and the Broncos were active during the first day of free agency. Here is a breakdown of some of the moves the Broncos made today.

1) The Broncos signed G Luis Vasquez from the Chargers to a reported four-year deal worth $23.5 million with $13 million of it guaranteed. This is a really solid move for the Broncos because it fortifies the interior of their offensive line. Vasquez, who ranked second amongst guards on my free agency list, was a solid starter for San Diego last season, and he could step right in and really help the Broncos next season. With the health of G Chris Kuper always a question, this seems to be a very shrewd move for Denver. Also, taking one of the best offensive lineman away from a division rival is always a plus. Kuper might find himself on the way out of Denver as a result, but the Broncos definitely strengthened their line in the process.

2) Denver re-signed DT Kevin Vickerson with a two-year deal. Keeping Vickerson was a vital move the Broncos needed to make this offseason, and they were able to bring him back into the fold. Vickerson played very well for the Broncos in 2012, and keeping him around will help them once again in 2013.

3) The Broncos actually re-signed S David Bruton yesterday, and that was another move that many people felt the Broncos needed to make. Bruton is a special teams ace, and if you watched how he performed on special teams in 2012, you saw how valuable he was in that aspect. Also, Bruton brings some depth to the secondary, so signing him was another solid move by John Elway and the Broncos braintrust.

4) The Broncos released LB D.J Williams on Monday as well. Williams missed 9 games due to various suspensions, and he was nothing more than a role player when he returned. Williams had been with the Broncos since 2004, and he was one of the best defensive players on the team for most of that time period. Williams did run into a lot of off the field issues involving a DUI and the infamous "non human" urine sample he got busted for last year. I always like Williams as a player, but there were times that he seemed to disappear in big games during his run in Denver (Week 17 at San Diego in 2008.)

5) The Elvis Dumervil contract squabble is still up in the air. The Broncos want Dumervil to take a pay cut from his $12 million salary in 2013. Dumervil originally turned that down, and now it appears that Dumervil would consider a pay cut, but only at the price of restructuring and guaranteeing his salary for 2013 and 2014. It seems to me that the Broncos probably won't go for that, so there is still the likelihood that Dumervil could be on his way out of Denver.

6) The Broncos next set of free agents that they are targeting include RB Rashard Mendenhall, DT Terrance Knighton, and CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. All three players are expected to head for Denver to visit in the next few days.