Good news: Broncos re-sign former mega star to two-year, $7 million contract

It’s been a bad offseason to be an NFL safety, but Broncos safety P.J. Locke has new job security.

PJ Locke || 2023 Highlights || Denver Broncos Safety - YouTube

The Broncos and Locke have agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract, according to multiple reports.

The deal likely makes Locke one of the Broncos’ two starting safeties for 2024, along with Caden Sterns, who suffered a torn patella in Week One last season but is expected to be fully healthy this season.

Several veteran safeties have been released this year, and that includes Justin Simmons, who was cut by the Broncos after starting 15 games last year. The Broncos also cut former starting safety Kareem Jackson in December after he was repeatedly suspended for illegal hits.

Last year Locke became a fill-in starter when Jackson was suspended, and the Broncos were pleased enough with his work that this year he appears set to start on a permanent basis.

Broncos rebuild is finally happening

P.J. Locke saves Denver from another second-half meltdown as Broncos beat Packers 19-17 - Bloomberg

The league year hasn’t started yet and Sean Payton is in the process of doing what should have happened years ago.

Good morning, Broncos Country!
This is what a rebuild looks like.

It’s also eight years in the making. Better late than never.

Finally, and thankfully, the Denver Broncos are being bulldozed of the horridness since Super Bowl 50. Obviously, it’s too early to tell if this will work, but trying to find the path back to success without a compass or map wasn’t working.

This is the starting point, and there are still moves to make before the league year begins. Whether that’s contract restructures, more trades or cuts.

And if this is a full-fledged rebuild, trade Pat Surtain II for even more NFL Draft capital. Or use him as a piece to move up in the Draft to get the quarterback that Payton wants.

It’s nice to finally see action taken to get this franchise out of the abyss it’s been stuck in and continues to sink deeper with each passing season.

Hopefully, this is what the path back to contention looks like.

Broncos legend obliterates Jerry Jeudy after his trade to Browns

Denver Broncos legend Mark Schlereth took a victory lap after news broke that his former team had traded away wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

The Broncos on Saturday shipped Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns for a relatively meager return.

After the trade went public, it didn’t take long before the outspoken Schlereth shared his thoughts on Jeudy. The 3-time Super Bowl champion lambasted the former Broncos first-round pick, calling Jeudy a bust and listing what made the Alabama alum a subpar football player.

“He’s just not a great football player. Doesn’t run secondary routes well to attract coverage. Drops the football. Doesn’t block. Good riddance. Listen, that’s not the kind of player you need in Denver to rebuild this thing. I, for one, am glad he’s gone.

“I’ll never forget you, Jimmy Jeudy. All the best,” Schlereth ended, intentionally misremembering Jeudy’s first name.

Schlereth, now an NFL analyst for FOX, has remained vocal about the Broncos’ affairs of late. The 58-year-old was spot-on with one Broncos prediction he made last October.

It’s hard to argue that Schlereth was completely wrong about Jeudy, who has yet to live up to his first-round billing since he entered the league in 2020.

In 16 games last season, Jeudy caught 54 passes for 758 yards with 2 touchdowns. Jeudy has arguably generated more headlines for off-field drama rather than his play with the Broncos over the past year.