Report: Broncos OT Stephenson agrees to restructured contract
Aug 24, 2017, 1:03 PM | Updated: 1:13 pm
Indications point to offensive tackle Donald Stephenson sticking with the Denver Broncos through the 2017 season as he and the club reportedly agreed to a restructured contract.
First reported by KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis, Stephenson will earn $2.5 million in 2017 with the restructured deal, a cut from the $4 million he was due to make this season.
The reworked contract comes after the offensive tackle revised the deal earlier this year to help him avoid being cut in March, Denver 7 Insider Troy Renck reports.
After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Stephenson signed a 3-year, $14 million contract with the Broncos ahead of the 2016 season, which included a $3 million signing bonus and $10 million guaranteed, per Spotrac.com.
Last season, Stephenson started 12 games for the Broncos but split time with third-year tackle Ty Sambrailo.
Pro Football Focus said of the duo: “Donald Stephenson and Ty Sambrailo engaged in a game of one-upmanship to see who could get beat more often.”
According to the site, Stephenson graded lower than any offensive lineman.
This offseason, the Broncos not only drafted tackle Garett Bolles, who has been given the starting left tackle role by head coach Vance Joseph, but also brought in free agent Menelik Watson from the Oakland Raiders.
As it’s currently constructed, the Broncos depth chart has Sambrailo backing up Bolles and Stephenson backing up Watson.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
