While their Super Bowl XLVIII opponents were assembled primarily through the draft, John Elway's Denver Broncos have leaned heavily on free agency.
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That blueprint will remain in place for 2014.
With safety T.J. Wardalready in the bank and stud pass rusherDeMarcus Ware on the horizon, Elway has turned his attention to a lockdown cornerback.
A sourced informed of the deal tells NFL Media's Albert Breer the Broncos have agreed to terms with former New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib on a six-year, $57 million contract with $26 million in guarantees. The agreement was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Broncos later confirmed the deal.
Breer now expects the Patriots to set their sights on Darrelle Revis, likely to be released by the Bucs on Wednesday.
With Talib on board, the Broncos have shut down contract talks with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, confirms USA Today's Lindsay Jones. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports that once the Broncos struck a deal with Talib, the team pulled their offer to Rodgers-Cromartie, per a source informed of the Broncos' plans.
Although Talib is a theorectical upgrade on DRC, the guaranteed money is eye-popping for a player who has battled hip injuries and off-the-field issues over the past few years.
If Talib stays on the field, though, he's the one available cornerback with scheme versatility plus the demonstrated ability to shut down the opposing team's top weapon in the passing game.
Chalk another one up for Elway, who can pitch woo as well as any NFL executive in recent memory.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys study the free agency picture with the help of NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
