The Broncos have announced the signing of linebacker Brandon Marshall to a four-year, $32MM contract extension that includes $20MM in guarantees and $10MM at signing. Denver now has Marshall under its control through the 2020 season.
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The Broncos and Marshall had spent a large chunk of the offseason working on an extension. Prior to today’s accord, Marshall was slated to play out the season on a one-year, $2.533MM restricted free agent tender before hitting the open market. He’ll still earn that salary in 2016 before his extension kicks in the following season.
Marshall finished last season with 102 tackles and made it clear to team management that he was a must-keep player. Last month, PFR’s Sam Robinson analyzed Marshall as an extension candidate and accurately predicted that he would approach, but not top, DeAndre Levy’s four-year, $33.7MM pact with the Lions. The Broncos opted to let Danny Trevathan – last year’s team leader in tackles – leave in free agency for a four-year, $24.5MM deal with Chicago, but they clearly hold Marshall in higher esteem.
With Marshall’s extension in the books, the Broncos will now turn their attention to new deals for fellow stars Von Miller and Emmanuel Sanders. Recently, Broncos GM John Elway confirmed that he is gunning to get contracts hammered out for all three players in the coming weeks.
“The ideal thing would be to get all three of them done (by mid-July). That’s the goal. That would be nice if we could do that,” Elway said.
While things are getting a little bit chippy between Miller and the Broncos, the feeling has been that a new deal for Marshall was only a matter of time. The veteran has always spoken highly of the team and made it known that he wants to play out his career at high altitude.
“I love it here. I love it here, man,” Marshall said recently. “Ever since I got here, in 2013, they’ve treated me like family, even when I was on the practice squad. It just shows, I’m really all about ball, getting better and being with the team. … To stay away, that’s not me. I feel comfortable being here.”
Mike Klis of 9News first reported the deal. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.