Drama! Dumervil Actually Released

Dumervil is currently in free agency limbo..

UPDATED (3/15 7:10 PM EST): check the bottom of the page for the latest update:

This is breaking, so excuse the fact that we will need to keep this post updated (meaning refresh this page for the latest news). What we have is a tweet from the Denver Post’s Mike Klis that indicated that Marty Magid, the agent of Elvis Dumervil did not fax the restructured contract to the NFL’s office in time.

No big deal, right?

Well, no it is, this forced Denver to release Elvis Dumervil.

What a difference 30 minutes can make.

As for now Dumervil is a free agent, the Broncos are carrying $4.87 million in dead money, but have freed up nearly $8 million in the release.

By all means, this does not mean that Dumervil will be touring the country in search of a new team. However, the contract will need to be rewritten.

Here is a timeline of events, per the NFL Network’s Albert Breer:

3:25 EST: Dumervil accepted Denver’s proposed contract, which reduced his salary from $12 million plus to $8 million. The team indicated to Dumervil’s reps that they needed to fax a signed deal back by 3:59 EST. When it didn’t come back, the Broncos released him. The team has a fax with a signed deal from Dumervil’s people timestamped at 4:06 EST.

The Broncos indicated that the release was in order to, “Protect ourselves.”

Click here (or refresh this page for the updates as the story develops

UPDATE (3/15 4:50 PM EST):

Given the fact that the NFL is still requiring the archaic form of facsimile in order to require a contract, the league has been known to accept fax’s late. It is possible that this whole thing is just a non-story.

UPDATE (3/15 4:52 PM EST):

The NFL Player’s Association requires every agent to carry liability insurance in the even that there is a breach of contract or neglect. Dumervil has as legitimate a case as any if this is in fact his agent’s fault. He would probably get the money regardless if this were the case though.

UPDATE (3/15 5:06 PM EST):

The Broncos apparently gave Dumervil a Broncos deadline of accepting their offer by 3:00 PM EST (which would have given them an hour to get everything in order, get everything signed and to the league’s office). Dumervil, as we know accepted the contract offer verbally at 3:25 PM EST. Somewhere in between 3:25 PM EST and 4:05 PM EST he signed the contract and the agent faxed the contract back to the Broncos.

Let us hope that Denver simply did not throw out the baby with the bathwater in order to teach a lesson in being on time to Dumervil.

UPDATE (3/15 5:20 PM EST):

According to Brandon Krisztal of New York’s CBS Radio (and formerly of Denver’s 104.3 The Fan), Dumervil was texting friends in the Denver area at 3:54 PM EST that he was staying in Denver.

UPDATE (3/15 6:35 PM EST):

Dumervil is apparently irate over the news. Also, not that it is relevant, but Dumervil’s agent Marty Magid also represents former Broncos running back Travis Henry.

UPDATE (3/15 7:10 PM EST):

Per the NFL Network’s (and former Denver Bronco cheerleader) Michelle Beisner, Magid (Dumervil’s agent) informed the team at 3:00 PM EST that Dumervil was not interested in the team’s final offer of $8 million. Thus the reason why the team was willing to walk away from the deal. This before Magid calling back at 3:25 to let them know that Dumervil did want the deal.

It is looking more and more as if this may be completely on Magid.

We will let you know more as the story comes together.