The Denver Broncos agreed to terms today with free agent offensive guard Evan Mathis on a one-year deal. The contract will pay Mathis a $2.5 million base salary with play-time incentives that could push that number up to $4 million, ESPN reports.
The $1.5 million in incentives will take into account what percentage of snaps Mathis plays and will pay out a bonus for every week he is on the game-day roster.
"Evan Mathis is an accomplished veteran who has played at a very high level for the last several seasons," John Elway said in a statement. "He will immediately make our team better, and we are excited to have him as part of the Denver Broncos."
Mathis, a two-time Pro Bowler, was released by the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this offseason following a contract dispute. The 33-year-old wanted to renegotiate a five-year, $25.5 million deal he signed in 2012. Mathis reportedly turned down a $5.5 million offer from another team because he wanted to play for a contender in Denver.
Had he stayed with the Eagles, Mathis would have earned $5.5 million this season.
Mathis will likely assume the starting left guard duties for the Broncos, adding a much needed veteran presence to a young offensive line dotted with question marks. Left tackle Ryan Clady tore his ACL for the second time and will miss the entire offseason and rookie Max Garcia had taken the bulk of first-team reps at LG throughout training camp and Denver's first two preseason games.
Garcia, rookie LT Ty Smbailo and center Matt Paradis, who was on the team's practice squad as a rookie last year, gave Denver a left side of the offensive line with zero NFL regular-season starts to protect 39-year-old Peyton Manning. New Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, however, has praised Paradis' play recently and believes Sambrailo will benefit from playing beside a veteran such as Mathis. Garcia is still in their future plans as well.
"It's still the group, it's been the group, it's still the group," Kubiak said. "I will say this, I'm really impressed by how far they've come. I think we've got to continue to keep it in perspective, that we don't get too far ahead of them. We're trying not to and they're responding...Every day is a test, every week is a test, but I think where they've come from so far is a positive. We're trying to get them ready to go against a really good group in three weeks."
