An Absolute Panic

One day you’re winning the Super Bowl. A month later, your team is picked apart in free agency.

No, the first day of the NFL’s annual meat market was not good to the Broncos.

Just days after Peyton Manning retired, his heir apparent, Brock Osweiler fled for the Houston Texans, who handed the relatively untested passer a contract worth $72 million over four years.

Broncos president John Elway, apparently more than a bit miffed, said: “We’ve stayed true to our philosophy of building a team with players who want to be Denver Broncos and want to be here. That’s been a successful approach for us.” This is the same Elway who was drafted by the Baltimore Colts and threatened to play major league baseball if they didn’t trade him … which they did.

Gone from that No. 1-ranked Denver defense are lineman Malik Jackson ($90 million over six years from the Jacksonville Jaguars) and linebacker Danny Trevathan. Four teams are bidding for running back C.J. Anderson. Guess a lot of guys don’t want to be there, John.

About 50 players changed teams on the first true day of free agency; generally 90-100 move in any given off-season, so Wednesday was a blowout.

It was fascinating watching players flee the Miami Dolphins. They haven’t won anything in forever – their last playoff victory was 16 years ago. Defensive ends Olivier Vernon ($20M signing bonus alone from the New York Giants) and Derrick Shelby exited, as did receiver Rishard Matthews. Backup quarterback Matt Moore seems likely to sign with the Dallas Cowboys. And running back Lamar Miller will be joining Osweiler with the Texans. Dolphins? They’re barely minnows now.

This initial wave of free agency was more like a tsunami ripping through the league and the teams. It won’t last much longer, not at these prices. But there’s always a second wave and then the NFL draft.

Hope. That’s the most expensive commodity an NFL team can buy.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman