NFL free agency rumors: Broncos to sign Ronald Leary
The Denver Broncos are beefing up their offensive line by reportedly adding former Dallas Cowboys guard Ronald Leary.
Going into the 2017 NFL offseason, the Denver Broncos needed to upgrade their offensive line. They’ll be getting a pretty huge upgrade, both figuratively and literally. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Broncos are expected to sign former Dallas Cowboys guard Ronald Leary to a four-year deal. He’ll be guaranteed $20 million and the contract could be worth up to $35 million.
Broncos to sign G Ronald Leary to a four-year deal worth $35m with $20m gtd, source says. Big money for a guy once lost in the shuffle.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2017
He started for the Cowboys in three of the past four years. In 2015, he was the starter, but injuries limited him to just four games. Leary went undrafted due to a knee condition, but he has proven to be a quality guard. The Broncos had terrible play from their guards last season, so he should be a nice upgrade there.
Another thing worth noting is Leary is a former teammate of quarterback Tony Romo. Perhaps the Broncos are trying to woo the free agent quarterback? Romo going to Denver would make a lot of sense. The Broncos need a quarterback and the team isn’t too different from the team that won the Super Bowl.
Leary is a left guard who stepped up in 2016. He wasn’t expected to be the starter, but thanks to injuries, he had to step up. With a strong season, Leary earned himself a nice paycheck. Obviously, his injury history is a significant question mark. Leary’s knees are always a risk because he has a degenerative left knee condition.
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However, the Broncos are going for another Super Bowl, so even with the guaranteed money, this could be worth it for Denver. They needed a huge upgrade for their offensive line to protect whoever their quarterback in 2017 will be. And Denver has done it, albeit at an expensive price.