Devon Key made All-Pro as a special teams player for the Denver Broncos, and now he's been re-signed.
The Denver Broncos announced the retention of yet another core player, as safety Devon Key signed an exclusive free-agent tender deal yesterday, according to a report from Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. It’s a one-year deal that will pay Key $1.075 million, which is a standard number for this sort of deal.
Key is an important special teams players, and he made first-team All-Pro last year for his contributions in that phase of the game. He was durable as a multiple role player last year, as he played in all 17 games for the Broncos last season. His snap count was 388 plays on special teams to go with another 73 defensive plays. Key played in 82 percent of Denver’s special teams plays, Williams added, and he made 28 tackles.
Key also had some moments on defense last year. He joined the Broncos in 2022, and he turned up in numerous important plays as he became a reliable backup who could step in for the Broncos in a variety of defensive packages.
The exclusive rights tender agreement kept other teams from bidding on Key, but this signing was probably an easy choice for both the player and the team. Being a part of the Denver defense could also be a family affair for Key going forward, as his brother, Dane Key, just joined the team as an undrafted free agent.
The Broncos just finished one of the least noteworthy drafts in the NFL, and that was mostly by design. GM George Paton and coach Sean Payton have made retaining players a key part of their roster-building strategy, and signing Key is just the latest example of that.
Other recent signings via the exclusive rights free agent arrangement include running back Tyler Badie, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson and outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman, as all three have inked similar tenders.
The Broncos did draft for depth in the later rounds, but the players they picked will have an uphill climb to make the roster. The most significant battle is expected to be at tight end, where both Justin Joly of North Carolina State and Dallen Bentley of Utah have an outside chance to stick.
Running back Jonah Coleman was the most significant offensive addition at running back, and he’ll get a chance to compete with Badie, J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey to get playing time as the Broncos try to upgrade their ground game.