The bad news for the Broncos is that, for the second time in three seasons, they’ll have to get by without left tackle Ryan Clady. The good news for the Broncos is that, unlike 2013 when Clady suffered a season-ending injury in Week Two of the regular season, they’ll have plenty of time to prepare for life without him.
The best news for the Broncos is that the latest injury to Clady gives them a chance to decide whether they can clear millions in cap space next year by moving on to a new left tackle.
Whether it’s second-round rookie Ty Sambrailo or someone else, the Broncos will know whether they can fill the spot far more cheaply and reliably in 2016, after having to do so in 2015. With Clady’s current deal carrying a $3 million signing bonus, only $1.2 million remains on the books for 2016 and 2017. Base salaries of $9.5 million and $10 million over the final two years of the deal could be avoided by terminating the deal next year.
With no remaining guarantees or offseason triggers, the Broncos could keep Clady around into 2016, assessing his offseason performance (and perhaps even his training-camp reps) before making a final decision. They also could squeeze him to take less money, under the argument that, through 48 regular-season games since signing the new contract, he has appeared in only 18 -- and he has earned $33 million.
They also could force the issue before he shows up for a single offseason workout, since another serious injury in 2016 would put the Broncos on the hook for the full $9.5 million he’s due to make next year.
Regardless, with Clady approaching the out years of the deal and having two of the first three years marred by injury, the Broncos would be foolish not to at least consider whether it makes sense come 2016 to pocket $19.5 million and to devote that money toward improving the roster elsewhere.
