The Broncos and 49ers are trying to work out a deal that would send quarterback Colin Kaepernick to Denver, although any trade appears to hinge on an agreement that would reduce Kaepernick’s salary (or at least the portion Denver is paying) for the 2016 season.
Even with a reduction, the Broncos would have to clear cap space to make room for Kaepernick and that likely means the Broncos will have to make a call on parting ways with tackle Ryan Clady. Talk of trading Clady cropped up when the Broncos reached agreements with Russell Okung and Donald Stephenson in free agency and slashing his $9.5 million salary would be a big help when it comes to making the necessary room for Kaepernick.
That salary is an obstacle to a trade as is Clady’s recent injury history. Clady missed all of last season with a torn ACL and all but two games of the 2013 season with a foot injury. A team trading for him would likely want to restructure that deal, which also calls for Clady to make $10 million in 2017, and that may be too many moving parts for Denver to sort out while also swinging a trade with the Niners.
Releasing Clady wouldn’t bring any compensation back, but would create $8.9 million in cap space while leaving $1.2 million in dead money on the cap.
Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports the Broncos would also likely have to tweak the contract of others to make all the finances work. Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and cornerbacks Chris Harris and Aqib Talib would be possibilities on that front.
