The Denver Broncos made a big move earlier in the week when they came to terms on a new deal with free-agent safety Talanoa Hufanga.
The Broncos wanted to add a big name at the safety position and they got themselves a young, talented former All-Pro who could still have a ton of great football left in him. But this deal was always going to come with some injury concerns and that is where skepticism will arise.
Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team recently put together a list of the nine worst free-agent deals that have been made so far and the Broncos fall on that unfortunate list for their deal with Hufanga, which Mosher ranks as the fifth-worst of free agency to this point.
“Safeties were paid left and right in free agency, so it’s not surprising that Talanoa Hufanga inked a new deal. After all, he was an All-Pro selection during the 2022 season after recording four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two sacks.
However, since that season, Hufanga has played just 17 games, missing time with serious injuries, including a torn ACL. He’s not been durable, and his play style certainly impacts that. Denver wanted to get a more dynamic safety, and Hufanga is a playmaker. Still, he can be exposed in coverage and isn’t the most technically sound player.
For someone who has had as many serious injuries as he’s had during the years, $20 million guaranteed sure seems like a lot of cash. The Broncos are betting on his health improving as he ages. That’s always a tough bet, but here is to hoping he can stay on the field”, wrote Mosher.
Clearly, he feels it’s too much money to give to someone who has suffered injuries in his career. Hufanga tore his ACL in 2023 and after returning to the field last season, a wrist injury sidelined him until December.
All free-agent deals are going to be a gamble, at least to a certain extent. Injuries happen in this league and teams should not shy away from players who are still young and have only had a couple of injuries. Kudos to the Broncos for not doing that.
Hufanga is only 25 years old. He may have a bit of a reckless playing style that the Broncos need to work on toning down just a tad, but the Broncos are shelling out this money for the aggressive style that Hufanga exhibits on the field. Furthermore, what Mosher is totally glossing over, is the fact that the Broncos have done a great job of keeping players healthy during Sean Payton’s tenure as head coach.
The strength and conditioning program has been terrific and last season, Alex Singleton (torn ACL) was the only significant loss of the season. He and Quinn Bailey were the only two players to suffer season-ending injuries that led to them being placed on injured reserve.
By contract, the San Francisco 49ers have been one of the league’s most injured teams over that same time frame. There’s a chance that that’s not just a coincidence.
The Broncos also have an ownership group that has committed to making sure the team has the best playing surface available, having replaced the field at Empower Field in each of the last two years. These are the kinds of things that free agents look for when deciding which team to sign a new contract with.
So, the Broncos know all about Hufanga’s injury history. But he knows that he just signed with a team that has taken a vested interest in player safety and keeping players healthy. That is why this signing graded out extremely well and why placing him on any list of worst free-agent signings could end up being just a touch off the mark.
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