Broncos are yet to sign any drafted rookies

Running back Ronnie Hillman and the rest of his drafted rookie teammates remain unsigned. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

The Denver Broncos‘ 2012 Rookie Mini Camp has come and gone and oddly, not one of the team’s seven drafted rookies have signed with the team.  Some teams have already signed a handful of their drafted rookies, and the Green Bay Packers (along with six other teams) have signed their entire draft class.

With $22.11 million available to spend, the Broncos have no reason to delay signing rookies.  Denver recently fired General Manager Brian Xanders, promoted scout Matt Russell to Director of College Scouting and parted ways with longtime cap manager Mike Bluem (replacing him with Mike Sullivan, who will now help negotiate player contracts).

With Bluem, the Broncos are presumably aiming to ‘get tougher‘ in contract negotiations — which could be slowing down the process of signing rookies.  The team has already signed thirteen undrafted rookies and it has only been a few weeks since the draft, so while it appears that the team has been dragging their feet, contract negotiations and signings should be coming soon.  

The Broncos’ highest drafted rookie of this year’s class, defensive tackle Derek Wolfe, will likely be one of the last to sign.  Two defensive tackles selected after Wolfe in the second round — Jerel Worthy and Devon Still — have signed $3.948 and $3.768 million deals respectively.  Wolfe could be seeing only slightly less in guaranteed money than Worthy and Still received total.

Wolfe will be offered a four-year deal which we estimate will be worth between $5.15 and $5.25 million with over $3 million in guaranteed, based on the contracts of quarterback Colin Kaepernick (the 36th selection of last years draft) and Courtney Upshaw (the player drafted just above Wolfe).  Below is a list of Denver’s seven drafted rookies and estimations of what their contracts could look like:

• 2nd Round (36th Overall): DT Derek Wolfe — Roughly $5.20 million*.
• 2nd Round (57th Overall): QB Brock Osweiler — Guesstimated around $4 million*.
• 3rd Round (67th Overall): RB Ronnie Hillman – Roughly $3.21 million*.
• 4th Round (101th Overall): CB Omar Bolden —  Roughly $2.51 million*.
• 4th Round (108th Overall): C Philip Blake — Roughly $2.5 million*.
• 5th Round (137th Overall): LB/DE Malik Jackson — Estimated $2.2 million*.
• 6th Round (188th Overall): OLB Danny Trevathan — Roughly $2.17 million*.

*These numbers are unofficial. The actual contracts will differ from the estimations shown above.