Last year, the Broncos signed receiver Wes Welker to a two-year, $12 million deal. Cap accounting kept the 2013 charge at $4 million.
The application of math too simple for even me to screw up indicates that Welker costs $8 million against the cap in 2014.
His $6 million in compensation hits the books in March, via a $3 million roster bonus and a $3 million base salary. If the Broncos want to pay the twice-concussed (in 2013) Welker less than that, they don’t have much time to work out a new deal.
As Tom Curran of CSN New England pointed out on Friday’s edition of Pro Football Talk on NBCSN, the Broncos could decide to move on, if an impasse is reached. And that could put Welker back on the market.
Which would allow the Broncos to pursue, say, Patriots slot receiver Julian Edelman. Which in turn would allow Welker to return to New England.
As to the latter possibility, that bridge likely was obliterated when coach Bill Belichick called Welker out as dirty for a hit in the AFC title game that if anything was basic offensive pass interference.