WEDNESDAY, 7:31am: According to Schefter (Twitter link), Ware will visit the Broncos today. All signs seem to be pointing to Ware signing with Denver — as Schefter adds in a second tweet, an AFC West official who tried to get the ex-Cowboy in for a visit was told “you’re not going to like where he winds up.”
TUESDAY, 9:35pm: Ware is visiting with the Broncos and they’re his only scheduled visit so far, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
9:00pm: The Broncos have emerged as the favorites to sign veteran defensive end/linebacker DeMarcus Ware, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN. We learned earlier today that six teams, including the Browns, have interest in the former Cowboys standout.
Teams with both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes had their eye on Ware at the official start of free agency. After a few weeks of will they/won’t they with Dallas, Ware forced their hand this morning and got them to decide on his future in advance of the afternoon kickoff to free agency.
Ware would have accounted for a $16MM cap hit in 2014 for Dallas and was owed $26MM in total between ’14 and ’15. Ware, once among the NFL’s elite front seven personnel, is on the verge of turning 32 and isn’t the type of game-changing talent that he once was. The linebacker-turned-defensive end is a seven-time Pro Bowler and a four-time First-Team All-Pro, but he clearly lost a step in 2013. It sounds like Denver might be the place where he tries to rediscover his magic of years past.
If Ware winds up with the Broncos, that means one less suitor for fellow veteran defensive end Jared Allen.
Broncos are beefing up that defense. Can’t blame them, since that’s what cost them a legitimate shot at winning the SB.