TotalBroncos

By Tned

BroncosForums

The deadline before free agency came and went and midnight last night.  According to reports, the Broncos and Elam were miles apart, and we aren’t talking about Miles the mascot.

As detailed here, Elam Era Over?, on Monday, Elam is not only the Denver Broncos’ greatest kicker, but one of the best of all time.  While Morton Anderson might disagree, the fact is that it wasn’t if, but when, Jason Elams’ time in Denver was over.  There is some question about how much a team that is climb back to the top of the AFC ranks could spend on a kicker, even one that accounted for nearly half of wins in 2007, it appears that Denver will go in another direction and likely draft a kicker in April, and probably pick up a veteran free agent to compete for the job.

The Denver Post says that Elam’s agent indicates that a return to Denver is possible, and the Broncos are the only team that Elam would sign with in the next two weeks.  It also appears that retirement isn’t out of the question.

“I’m more than a little surprised, given that Jason is coming off his two best seasons and what he means to the Broncos,” his agent, Jack Reale, said Thursday night. “It’s puzzling to me.”

Reale said the two sides are far apart. Elam is leaving the country Saturday for two weeks, going on a trip to Israel with some Broncos teammates, and will not be available to visit other NFL teams during that time.

The only team he would likely sign with in the next two weeks is Denver, but Reale said he doesn’t know if that’s possible. Asked if Elam, who turns 38 on March 8, will return to the Broncos, Reale said: “It remains to be seen. It takes two hands to clap.”

Because he’s so settled in Denver, retirement is an option for Elam if he doesn’t re-sign with the Broncos

When midnight came last night, and in less time than it took for Elam to win the Buffalo Bill’s game last year with the Toro, Toro! play, he became a free agent, and is no longer the property of the Denver Broncos, and they lost the ability to exclusively negotiate with Elam.

For a running tally of league moves and rumors, check out the Around the League News/Rumor Thread on Broncos Forums.