PRIZED SIGNING
Fuller agrees to terms with Broncos right after release
The Denver Broncos acted swiftly and aggressively Saturday, agreeing to terms with cornerback Kyle Fuller on a one-year contract less than an hour after he was released by Chicago.
The deal is worth $9.5 million, according to a source.
General manager George Paton’s busy opening week of the free agent/trade period was focused on keeping and adding key pieces to coach Vic Fangio’s defense. Paton picked up the option on outside linebacker Von Miller’s contract, re-signed defensive end Shelby Harris and safety Justin Simmons and added Fuller and cornerback Ronald Darby.
Fuller will be reunited with Fangio, who was the Bears’ defensive coordinator from 2015-18. Fuller had his best year in ’18, when he tied for the NFL lead in interceptions (seven) and led in total pass break-ups (21).
Fuller, 29, was scheduled to carry a $20 million cap number for Chicago and the Bears created $11 million in cap space by cutting him. When Fuller wasn’t on the NFL’S transaction wire Friday night, it was believed the Bears were making a final attempt to trade him, likely for a late-round draft pick. The Broncos stayed patient, though, waiting until he hit the market.
His contract falls in line with one-year deals signed by Darby (three years, $10 million average), Minnesota’s Patrick Peterson (one year, $10 million) and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Michael Davis (three years, $8.5 million average).
In 96 games (94 starts), the 5-foot-11, 194-pound Fuller has 19 interceptions, 82 pass break-ups and 390 tackles. He had one interception in 2020.
What does Fuller’s arrival mean for the Broncos?
• It moves Bryce Callahan into exclusively the nickel role covering the slot receiver. That will reduce his playing time by 20-25%, which could be a plus since Callahan has played only 10 games in two years for the Broncos because of foot injuries.
• Darby, Fuller and Callahan top the depth char t and Essang Bassey will likely be the fourth cornerback because he can play inside and outside. Bassey, though, sustained a torn ACL last Dec. 6 at Kansas City. Michael Ojemudia, a third-round pick last year, was used only outside last year and could move into a reserve cornerback/special teams core player role.
• Paton has myriad options in the first round of the draft on April 29. He can sit at No. 9 and take the best available quarterback, cornerback or inside linebacker or he could trade down with a receiver-needy team to add a second-round pick or 2022 first-rounder (or more). With an extra second-round pick, Paton could still address corner, linebacker or safety.
• Because Simmons signed a long-term deal, which will significantly lower his franchise tag number of $13.27 million, and Fuller has a manageable cap hit, Paton still has space to use on depth/special teams players and save space to use on extensions for receiver Courtland Sutton and/or outside linebacker Bradley Chubb.
Above all, the Broncos needed more stability and production at cornerback.
Last year, Broncos corners had only three interceptions (two by Callahan and one by Bassey). In Fangio’s 32 games, 10 players have started at least one game at corner or nickel.
Fuller was drafted 14th overall by Chicago in 2014 (a year before Fangio arrived). He played every game and had six interceptions in his first two years, but missed all of ’16 with a knee injury (surgery in training camp and not activated after returning to practice).
From 2017-20, though, Fuller has played in every game and played at least 96% of the defensive snaps in each season.