Thursday, February 7, 2013
Tag coming for Clady?
By Tim Kavanagh
As the guardian of Peyton Manning's blind side, Denver Broncos LT Ryan Clady had an important job in 2012, and he performed well enough that it's expected that he'll remain with the club into 2013 and beyond despite impending free agency. But there's some thought that instead of the lucrative long-term deal he's seeking, he'll instead be the recipient of the Broncos' franchise tag this offseason.
"Clady's recent shoulder surgery likely increases the chances the Broncos take a little more wait-and-see approach on a long-term deal for the three-time Pro Bowl selection," Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post writes this week. "He has now had major knee surgery -- in early 2010 -- to go with shoulder surgery, an injury that bothered him for much of the season and kept him out of the Pro Bowl. As a result, the Broncos are far more likely to use the franchise tag on Clady, which would be a guaranteed one-year deal for $9.66 million."
It's clear that Clady isn't going anywhere; it's just a matter of whether the two sides can get something worked out by the franchise tag deadline. After pulling him from the market with that tag, they can attempt to work out a long-term deal to replace it, the deadline for which won't occur until mid-summer.
