The Broncos may not be sure that quarterback Peyton Manning will be back in 2015, but they know they don’t want his top wide receiver leaving the team.
General Manager John Elway said at the combine Thursday, via Lindsay Jones of USA Today, that the team will either sign Demaryius Thomas to a long-term contract by the March 2 deadline to use the franchise tag or they will use the tag on him to ensure that he remains with the team for the 2015 season.
It’s not a great surprise that the Broncos would take that approach. Thomas has caught 297 passes for 4,483 yards and 35 touchdowns over the last three seasons and he should have plenty of big years ahead of him with his 28th birthday not coming until December. The chances of turning those numbers into a multi-year deal that works for both sides in the next 10 days may not be great, but using the tag would give the two sides several more months to work one out.
Wide receiver Wes Welker and tight end Julius Thomas are also set to be free agents next month, although it’s likely that only Thomas’s future with the team will be greatly impacted by the team’s decisions regarding his namesake.