Denver continued its free agent haul Wednesday by agreeing to a two-year contract with former Houston defensive back and return man Tremon Smith, a league source confirmed to The Post.
Smith is getting a $1.4 million signing bonus and has base salaries of $1.1 million in 2023 and $1.99 million in 2024. He can earn up to $510,000 in active roster bonuses in 2023 and then up to an additional $1 million in incentives in 2024.
Smith, 26, has spent the past two seasons playing for the Texans and has also spent time with Indianapolis, Green Bay and Kansas City.
He played in all 34 games for Houston over the past two seasons, starting two games each year. He’s set to provide depth for Denver’s top-line corners Pat Surtain II, Damarri Mathis and nickel K’Waun Williams. He should also provide stiff competition for Montrell Washington for return duties.
Smith has returned 94 kickoffs and nine punts in his career, including 40 kick returns at 23.9 yards per return over his two seasons in Houston.
Overall, Smith played 17% of Houston’s defensive snaps in 2022 and 78% of the team’s special teams snaps. In that playing time, he forced three fumbles and also logged a pair of interceptions.
Smith is the ninth known player the Broncos have added in the past three days. Among those players, the Broncos have committed about $137.4 million in guaranteed money, according to The Post’s tallying of available contract information.
The NFL Players Association as of late Wednesday afternoon had all nine players — Smith, linebacker Alex Singleton, defensive lineman Zach Allen, offensive linemen Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers, quarterback Jarrett Stidham, tight end Chris Manhertz, running back Samaje Perine and fullback Michael Burton — officially reported as signed with the Broncos.
Denver also started rolling out official announcements of their new free agent crop with a news release about four of the players — Allen, Manhertz, McGlinchey and Stidham.
DL Williams to Carolina: The Broncos lost a key rotational part of their 2022 defensive line on Wednesday when DeShawn Williams agreed to a contract with Carolina. The Panthers announced the addition of the former Clemson standout, who turned in the best year of his pro career for Denver in 2022. He played in all 17 games for the Broncos, started 15 and logged 4.5 sacks.
Williams is a Central, South Carolina native, so signing with the Panthers is both a homecoming and also a reunion with former Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who now holds the same position for Carolina.
TE Saubert to Miami: Tight end Eric Saubert on Wednesday agreed to a one-year deal with Miami, according to an NFL Network report. He spent the past two seasons in Denver after previously playing for Jacksonville, Chicago and Atlanta.
Saubert in 2022 caught 15 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown while playing in all 17 games and starting six times.
Who are the Broncos’ outgoing free agents?
| Name | Position | 2023 team | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Singleton | ILB | Denver | Three years |
| Andrew Beck | TE | Houston | Two years |
| Billy Turner | OT | ||
| Calvin Anderson | OT | New England | Two years |
| Cam Fleming | OT | ||
| Dakota Allen | ILB | ||
| Dalton Risner | OG | ||
| Darius Phillips | CB | ||
| DeShawn Williams | DL | Carolina | |
| Dre’Mont Jones | DL | Seattle | Three years |
| Eric Saubert | TE | Miami | One year |
| Eric Tomlinson | TE | ||
| Kareem Jackson | S | ||
| Latavius Murray | RB | ||
| Marlon Mack | RB | ||
| Mike Boone | RB | Houston | Two years |
| Tom Compton | OT | ||
| Chase Edmonds | RB | ||
| Graham Glasgow | OG | ||
| Ronald Darby | CB |
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