Broncos Expected to Explore Trade Options for $7 Million ‘Luxury’ Player

The Denver Broncos are going young.

They are the ninth-youngest team in the NFL heading into the 2024-25 season, per Bookies.com’s Bill Speros on August 20.

That could be bad news for veteran running back Samaje Perine, who could be a victim of the numbers game. Roster cutdown day is on August 27 and the Broncos will have to trim down from 90 players to 53 for the regular season.

“Samaje Perine it does not look like he’s gonna be able to squeeze a spot onto this roster,” The Denver Post’s Troy Renck said on “The Broncos Podcast” on August 23. “They love Audric Estime, Javonte Williams is the starter, and Jaleel McLaughlin is the change-of-pace back. I don’t know where the room would be for Samaje Perine.

“He was nice for them last year, especially in the two-minute drill. They would miss him. But he’s a little bit of a luxury item.”

Perine also had one of the lowlights of the Broncos’ preseason.

Perine is in the final year of a two-year, $7 million contract and will count $4.5 million against the salary cap in 2024. The Broncos can save $3 million by cutting him. Renck expects the Broncos to explore other options first.

“I would think they’re gonna try to trade him if they can,” Renck said. “Maybe you can get a six, seventh-rounder for him. He can help somebody. He can still play. But remember they’re going younger. They’re trending younger and they have two backs in Javonte Williams and Estime who, in their mind, we’ll see if they’re right, can do the same things as Perine. So I think he could be the odd man out.”

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Broncos’ Youth Movement Could Hurt Samaje Perine

Perine, 28, had 238 yards and one touchdown on 53 carries for the Broncos in 2023. He also caught 50 passes for 455 yards and is valued for his pass-blocking ability. Estime and Williams are similarly built players and at least four years younger.

The Broncos can also keep both Estime and Williams for less combined than Perine costs alone.

Renck is not the only one forecasting Perine’s departure. Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon also believes the former Cincinnati Bengal should hit the free agent market.

“As the franchise embraces a teardown, an expensive reserve in the backfield is unnecessary,” Kenyon wrote on August 23. “Denver can save $3 million by releasing Samaje Perine and stick to Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and rookies Audric Estime and Blake Watson at the position.”

Meanwhile, Estime (four years, $4.3 million) and Williams (four years, $8.8 million) have a $3.7 million combined hit. Perine is not the only veteran feeling the squeeze of younger players added to the mix during the 2024 offseason.

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Reinstated Bronco Could Push ‘Brilliant’ Player Off Roster

“On that defensive line, Matt Henningsen might be one of the smartest guys in the NFL. What, masters in chemical engineering? The guy’s brilliant, and he’s had a couple of nice years for the Broncos. But he’s now on the bubble, and I think he makes it. But what I mean is, Sean Payton has really gone to bat for Eyioma Uwazurike.

“He [Uwazurike] was suspended for a year and he [Payton] stood by him. And Payton, listen, his daughter works for a gambling site and he likes to stick it to the league. He doesn’t think the league’s punishments are fair, certainly going all the way back to his own punishment for Bountygate. So he’s been there and stuck up for Uwazurike. They could have easily just moved on from him. Can he do enough this week in Week 3 to stick?”

Renck believes Henningson would be the better option for Week 1 of the regular season but that it is one position to monitor.

Linebacker Justin Strnad, cornerback Levi Wallace, and wide receivers Brandon Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey are other players on the bubble. Humphrey, Johnson, and Wallace are all being pushed by younger players.

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