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Why re-signing Malik Jackson is the Broncos' top priority now

At the moment defensive end Malik Jackson is Denver Broncos’ top re-signing priority of a long list of its free agent players. There are 25 Broncos players who will become free agents, 19 of whom will be unrestricted.

Jackson is in his prime at age 26. He completed the 2015 season with five sacks and seven passes defended, ranking him second among NFL defensive ends to Houston Texans’ J.J. Watt.

Denver Broncos defensive tackle Malik Jackson (97) gets to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) for a sack with defensive end DeMarcus Ware (94) in Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on February 7, 2016. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Denver Broncos defensive tackle Malik Jackson (97) gets to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) for a sack with defensive end DeMarcus Ware (94) in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on February 7, 2016. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Denver Post’s Troy Renck writes that the Broncos and Jackson are actively negotiating while quarterback Brock Osweiler’s contract situation is put on hold. Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller is expected to be franchised at more than $15 million next season with a $100 million-plus long-term deal to be worked out in the future.

ESPN’s Jeff Legwold says that Jackson’s only incentive to negotiate now with the Broncos is his belief that he will get his best offer from his current team.

The Broncos’ other starting defensive end, Derek Wolfe, re-signed before the Super Bowl with a four-year $36.7 million ( $17.5 million guaranteed) contract.

4 more years baby #DEFWU

A photo posted by Derek Wolfe (@derekwolfe_95) on

Given the elite quality of Jackson’s play he should expect more. Jackson won’t command the $100 million 6-year contract of three-time NFL defensive player of the year Watt. But he will command comparable pay at the next tier of 3-4 defensive ends.

The benchmark for negotiations are the 2015 contracts of three defensive ends: Cameron Jordan of the New Orlean Saints, Cameron Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Corey Liuget of the San Diego Chargers.

Therefore Jackson’s average annual compensation should lie between $11 and 12 million. The big uncertainty is the guaranteed money. It could range between $12.5 and $22.5 million.

Peyton Manning’s compensation for his fifth and final year of his contract causes a $22.5 million hit to the Broncos’ 2016 salary cap and a $19 million cash outlay. Those amounts are guaranteed on March 9. There is no way that the team will allow that to happen with so many other players gaining free agency status in March.

According to John Breech of CBS Sports, the expected 2016 NFL salary cap will be $153.4 million, an increase of $10.12 million from 2015. So there are not enough dollars to re-sign all free agents at competitive compensation levels.

Douglas MacArthur in his farewell address to a joint assembly of Congress said “Old soldiers never die. . .they just fade away.” In the NFL old players’ careers die quickly by timely retirement or team cut.

Manning’s days as the star, starting quarterback are over for the Broncos. Will he want to play as a backup for drastically reduced compensation, sign with another team, or simply retire? He has only a few days to decide. Regardless of Manning’s decision the Broncos are moving on.

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