DeMarcus Ware To Return For 2017 Season

DeMarcus Ware‘s IR trip, impending UFA status and back surgery stirred talk about this season being the pass-rusher’s last in the NFL. The 34-year-old edge player put that to rest on New Year’s Eve.

The 12th-year veteran said, via Twitter, he plans to return for a 13th NFL campaign next season after undergoing a successful surgery. Ware previously expressed interest about coming back for another season and hoped to do so in Denver, but it’s far from certain the Broncos will provide him that opportunity.

Ware agreed to take a pay cut this season, slashing his ’16 salary from $10MM to $6.5MM, and played in a career-low 10 games due to a fractured forearm. The defending Super Bowl champions’ right outside linebacker transitioned into more of a situational role this season, with Shane Ray‘s workload increasing opposite Von Miller.

Both Ray and Shaquil Barrett figure to play big roles for Denver in 2017, and the Broncos are more likely to seek upgrades offensively this offseason. Their defense still ranks No. 1 in DVOA despite the team being eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since 2010.

The four-time first-team All-Pro will turn 35 next summer but has still shown an ability to pressure quarterbacks. Although he registered a career-low four sacks this season, Ware recorded 3.5 in the 2015 playoffs and played a major role in the Broncos holding off the Patriots in the AFC title game and stifling the Panthers’ offense in Super Bowl 50.

Denver stands to possess more than $29MM in cap space come 2017 but has greater needs on its offensive line and interior defensive line. While younger options like Melvin Ingram, Jason Pierre-Paul, Chandler Jones and Mario Addison will headline the free agent crop of pass-rushers, older talents like Ware, Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney and James Harrison are going to be unattached soon.