The Denver Broncos have given outside linebacker Malik Reed the right of first refusal tender, according to Mike Klis of 9news.
Per source, Broncos are giving restricted free agent OLB Malik Reed the Right of First Refusal tender. $2.433M salary. #9sports
Under the tender, other teams can negotiate with Reed, but if Reed accepts any contract offer, the Broncos have five days to potentially match it and bring him back.
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Reed Is An Appealing Free Agent Option
Reed signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2019, but he has been an integral part of their defense over the past couple of years. He started 13 games last season.
Over the past two seasons, Reed has recorded 123 combined tackles, 13 sacks, and three forced fumbles across 30 games.
Following the addition of Randy Gregory, Reed is the third outside linebacker on the depth chart behind Gregory and Bradley Chubb. In addition, the Broncos have second-year linebacker Jonathon Cooper, so re-signing Reed is not an absolute necessity.
Nevertheless, it would difficult to let a good, young player walk for nothing in return, and given Chubb’s injury history, it would be great to have Reed on the roster for depth.
It will be interesting to see Reed’s market develop. At age 25, he is still developing, and he could an attractive option for rebuilding teams with cap space such as the Seattle Seahawks or New York Jets.
The Broncos Could Sign a Cornerback and Offensive Lineman Next
KOA Colorado’s Benjamin Allbright suggested the Broncos could target a cornerback and offensive lineman next.
@Jduran501 @JokerWRLD I bet they still sign a CB and another OL soon. ;)
At the cornerback position, Bryce Callahan is the most obvious target. Callahan thrived as a slot corner in Denver over the past two seasons.
In 2020, Callahan allowed a passer rating of only 47.8 when targeted, which was the lowest in the entire league. Pro Football Focus projects Callahan to receive a contract worth $5 million per year.
The Broncos have also been a rumored landing spot for veteran cornerback Chris Harris Jr. Harris previously spent nine seasons with the Broncos from 2011 to 2019.
As for the offensive line, right tackle seems like the logical position for the team to target. They already have a plethora of options at guard such as Dalton Risner, Graham Glasgow, Quinn Meinerz, and Netane Muti, and they signed guard Ben Braden on the first day of legal tampering.
Bobby Massie, who started 13 games for the Broncos last season, is still available.
Cornelius Lucas is a good under-the-radar option. He has proven himself to be a good reliable tackle. He has posted an overall PFF grade of at least 72 in each of the last three seasons.
Last season, he was 23rd among offensive tackles in PFF Wins Above Replacement.
PFF projects Lucas will receive a contract worth $2.5 million per season. At that price, he would be an excellent pickup.
The Washington Commanders signed offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. to a three-year, $37 million extension, and they drafted offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. Therefore, retaining Lucas may not be a high priority for Washington.
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Broncos Tender Defensive Starter: Report