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Denver Broncos reach agreement with TE Owen Daniels

By Will Osgood

Nov 30, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels (81) gains yardage after his catch past San Diego Chargers defensive end Kendall Reyes (91) at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels (81) gains yardage after his catch past San Diego Chargers defensive end Kendall Reyes (91) at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Denver Broncos and tight end Owen Daniels agreed to a deal. 

The first day of NFL free agency has been even more nuts than the annual first day of free agency from recent seasons. There have been trades, trades and some more trades — everybody’s changing teams.

Owen Daniels wasn’t traded, but he’s on the list of players who are changing teams for the 2015 season. Following the Ravens letting him test free agent waters, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Owen Daniels is going to be reuniting with Gary Kubiak with the Denver Broncos. .

Daniels played for Kubiak in Houston, and then joined his former head coach in Baltimore a season ago, when Kubiak was the Ravens’ offensive coordinator. He continues following Kubiak now to Denver.

With the Broncos losing Julius Thomas as a free agent to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Tuesday keeping backup tight end Virgil Green–universally believed to be among the league’s best blocking tight ends–the Owen Daniels signing makes too much sense.

Daniels ought to be able to be the security blanket and red zone threat that Orange Julius was for Peyton Manning the past two seasons. Meanwhile, the still young Green has an opportunity to develop into a similar kind of player for the Broncos, but is still raw and needs more time to develop into a pass-catching threat on the level of Thomas or even Daniels.

Daniels seems like he’s been in the league forever, but he’s just 32-years-old. He entered the league in 2006. For his career, he’s played in 109 games, caught 433 passes for 5,131 yards and 33 touchdowns.

In 2014, Daniels was targeted 79 times by Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. He caught 48 of them for 527 yards and four touchdowns.

Daniels’ career year, though, came in 2008 when he caught 70 passes for 862 yards, but just two touchdowns.

The Denver Post’s Mike Klis reported Tuesday that the deal was a three-year contract.

The Broncos received good news last week when they learned Peyton Manning will return for his 18th season, and Demaryius Thomas will return at wide receiver as John Elway–who runs the Broncos’ front office–chose to slap the franchise tag on the 27-year-old receiver who was the 22nd overall pick out of Georgia Tech in the 2010 NFL draft.

That was the same year Josh McDaniels shocked everyone by taking Tim Tebow in the first round. Thomas has lasted and is now the Broncos’ best offensive player not named Manning.

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