Ronald Darby will finally land a long-term deal. After back-to-back one-year agreements, Darby will join the Broncos on a multiyear deal.
The former Bills, Eagles and Washington cornerback found success on this year’s market; he will join the Broncos on a three-year, $30MM contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Darby will receive $19.5MM fully guaranteed from Denver.
An ACL tear in his 2018 contract year submarined the former second-round pick’s value, but his latest free agency chapter will produce a seminal accord. The Broncos have been in need at corner for multiple years now, with injuries and departures gutting the team’s once-elite corps.
Denver now has Darby and Bryce Callahan as its top corners. While the Broncos should be expected to further target the position — perhaps as early as the first round of the draft — Darby represents a notable expense for the team. He is now Denver’s highest-paid corner.
After Darby spent 2019 regaining his footing, having re-signed with Philadelphia, he moved closer to re-establishing his value in Washington in 2020. The former Buffalo draftee rated as a top-30 corner, per Pro Football Focus. He played in all 16 Washington games, teaming with Kendall Fuller as part of a quality pass defense. The Broncos appear convinced Darby has surmounted his previous injury issues and will move forward with him as a key piece in their secondary.
have fun with that
Respectfully said, it sounds like too much money to me. Top 30? Still too much. Top 30? What metrics? Not sure he’s even that successful in 2021. But Paton seems to like him. Hopefully this signing reveals Paton’s expertise.