ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have reached an agreement with linebacker Brandon Marshall on a four-year contract extension.
The $2.553 million salary Marshall was to receive as a second-round tendered restricted free agent will stay in place. The $10 million signing bonus from his four-year extension will help tie him over until his new deal kicks in starting with the 2017 season.
The new four-year segment of his contract is worth roughly $32 million or about $8 million a year. There are up to $20 million in full and injury guarantees.
Not bad for someone who was cut three times by the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars.
Marshall, 26, is a two-year starter who led the Broncos with 113 tackles in 2014 and his 102 tackles in 2015 were second to fellow inside linebacker Danny Trevathan’s 109.
Trevathan became an unrestricted free agent after last season and got a four-year, $24.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears, where he is reunited with former Broncos coach John Fox.
A fifth-round draft pick out of Nevada by the Jaguars in 2012, Marshall spent most of his rookie year on their practice squad.
When he was cut again prior to the final roster in 2013, the Broncos signed him away to their practice squad. It was during practice that he drew the attention of quarterback Peyton Manning and offensive coordinator Adam Gase.
Marshall was promoted to the Broncos’ 53-man roster on Dec. 24, 2013 and has been a mainstay ever since.
The signing of Marshall no doubt raised the spirits of Broncos general manager John Elway, who has otherwise been involved in tension-filled negotiations with Broncos’ pass-rushing linebacker Von Miller. The Broncos are also trying to work a contract extension with receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Klis also writes for KUSA, a TEGNA property.
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