Quick hits on the developing Tuesday evening free agency signing period stories —

• It’s a good thing that the Denver Broncos have so much cap room, because a Peyton Manning contract would probably be for around four years, and $90 million.

  

• Although it originally wasn’t supposed to be, money has become The factor in the Manning sweepstakes, according to Vic Lombardi.

• Meanwhile, Bud Adams, the Owner of the Tennessee Titans, says that Manning wants to make a decision soon.  According to Adams, he is really interested in the Titans, too.

• The Broncos still want Manning however, and are in a better financial situation than Tennessee.

• Manning will meet with the Titans on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.  We expect/assume/hope that Manning’s decision will come soon after his meeting in Tennessee.

• Meanwhile, our old friend Brandon Marshall may have gotten himself into trouble with the NFL, again.  Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Eddie Royal #19 of the Denver Broncos returns a punt for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum on November 6, 2011 in Oakland, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

UPDATE: The Washington Post updated its report. Eddie Royal has not, in fact, finalized a deal with Washington and is still a free agent. The odds he return to Denver are still very slim, though. It’s only a matter of time before he is a “former Denver Bronco.”

Former Broncos guru Mike Shanahan isn’t done stocking up on receiver talent.  After signing Pierre Garcon the old ball coach is now bringing in his former 2nd round draft pick to revamp the receiving corp.  The Skins inked Eddie Royal to a 2 year $12 Million dollar deal according to the Washington Post.  Many heart felt good byes have already been sent to Eddie’s twitter account from the Broncos’ faithful.  Fans couldn’t ask for a better guy to root for or have their kids look up to but 6 million per year is a high price to pay for the 3rd wideout on the depth chart.

Denver will have to address kick and punt returning duties along with a slot/3rd receiver now in free agency or the draft.  One has to wonder if we could see Brandon Stokley re-unite with the Broncos if Peyton Manning decided on Denver.  (The two worked out in Castle Rock during Peyton’s Colorado trip)  This also adds other potential options to the market.  The Redskins pulled their own tri-fecta today signing up Josh Morgan.  This leaves next to no room on their roster for vets Jabar Gaffney and Santana Moss.

Free agent safety Brandon Meriweather will visit the Denver Broncos on Tuesday evening, according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter.  Meriweather, 28, spent last season with the Chicago Bears.

Safety remains a position of need for Denver and Meriweather would help add depth and experience to the Broncos’ secondary.  A former first round draft pick, Meriweather spent the first four years of his career in New England before joining the Bears last off-season.

In other free agency buzz, former Broncos cornerback Perrish Cox has signed with the San Francisco 49ers and free agent wide receiver Eddie Royal is expected to sign with the Washington Redskins.

Pierre Garcon - Indianapolis, October 2008

With all the speculation of the Broncos signing a tri-fecta of former Colts to team up with the big big fish Peyton Manning, Pierre Garcon’s name was mentioned among them. That clearly won’t be happening. Desperate for wide receiver help, the Redskin’s front office quickly signed the upstart wideout. Garcon posted the following to his facebook page at the opening of free agency this afternoon:

“I wanted you all to hear it from me 1st before u saw it on the news… I will be signing with the Washington Redskins and I’m very excited about the opportunity in front of me,”

Surprisingly Garcon had the best year of his career racking up 947 yards last season without Peyton Manning starting. Especially given the cliche that Manning “makes average receivers great”.  This move will likely push former Bronco Jabar Gaffney to 3rd on the depth chart or off the team entirely.  Reggie Wayne is still on the open market as of 3pm mountain, however some are speculating that Miami dealt Marshall to make room for Wayne and Manning together.

Former Broncos starting quarterback Kyle Orton is headed to Dallas this evening for negotiations per Adam Schefter.  For a guy who was touted as “too good to bench” Kansas City didn’t seem too keen on keeping the old veteran around to compete with Matt Cassel.  Kidding aside the Cowboys make sense for Kyle.  Tony Romo was prone to injuries last season and having a guy who can step in and “manage a game” would make good football sense for Big D.

More visits: chad Henne expected to visit Jacksonville, Kyle Orton expected to visit Dallas.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2012

It’s also being reported that recently released Chiefs’ cornerback Brandon Carr will be visiting with Dallas.  Denver was seen as a very likely landing spot for Carr.  However it now looks like he has become the Cowboy’s #1 cornerback target after vet releasing Terrance Newman earlier today.  Michael Lombardi is reporting that the Boys’ are throwing big money his way.

Sources: Cowboys give nod to Brandon Carr, not Cortland Finnegan, as team’s top CB target: cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/…

— DMNSportsDay (@SportsDayDFW) March 13, 2012

Reunited and it feels so… well, weird for this Denver Broncos fan. Former Broncos BFF’s Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler are about to be teammates again after the Chicago Bears reportedly traded two third round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins to acquire the 27-year-old, high maintenance wideout.

Marshall is the type of tall playmaker the Bears have been looking for since they acquired Cutler via trade in 2009.

The Dolphins traded two second round draft picks in 2010 for Marshall’s services, who tallied 167 catches for 2,228 yards in two seasons with the club. Not bad to get that production then turn it into a pair of third-rounders.

The reunions don’t stop there — Marshall will also be joining former Broncos offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, who signed with the Bears this offseason. Cutler and Marshall’s on-field relationship was the focal point of Bates’ offense in Denver, and it led to both Cutler and Marshall having their best statistical seasons in 2008.

It’ll be surreal seeing this trio performing together again, in blue and orange no less. Now if only we can convince the Bears to hire Josh McDaniels as head coach next year…

Bears acquire Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall [Chicago Tribune]

BroncoTalk.net has learned through multiple sources that the Denver Broncos will target the following players in free agency —

RB Mike Tolbert.

Tolbert is coming off of a big season in San Diego (eight rushing touchdowns) but is not expected to re-sign with the Chargers.  The Broncos’ backfield would instantly improve with the acquisition of Tolbert.

NT Paul Soliai.

The Broncos — and several other teams — have expressed interest in Soliai, who started in twelve games last season.  If the Broncos are able to re-sign Brodrick Bunkley and then bring in Soliai, the interior of their defensive line will be greatly improved from last season.

DB Reggie Nelson.

Nelson is a former first round draft pick who is coming off of a good season with the Bengals.  Safety is a good area of need for the Broncos and the team will be targeting Nelson as well as Dwight Lowery.

Bunkley is currently the Broncos' top priority. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

The 2012 NFL Year and Free Agency signing period starts this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (MT), and the Denver Broncos are expected to be right in the thick of things.

The team’s first priority is to re-sign sixth-year defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, who is coming off of his first season in Denver and second-best season of his career, according to sources close to the situation.  Beyond Bunkley, it is not known what Denver’s plans are for the rest of the team’s sixteen unrestricted free agents (UFA’s).

The biggest names among Denver’s UFA’s, Bunkley aside, are safety Brian Dawkins, tight end Daniel Fells, defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, linebacker Wesley Woodyard and receiver Eddie Royal.  Then there are the “iffy” guys like defensive end Jason Hunter and fullback Spencer Larsen.

With many of the offensive players — such as Royal and Fells — the players’ respective desires to re-sign with the Broncos may greatly depend on whether or not the team lands free agent quarterback Peyton Manning.  If the team does sign Manning, Royal and Fells will be begging Denver to take them back.  Click here to read the rest of this entry »