Denver Broncos should covet Charles Clay

It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas will be playing for a different organization in 2015 after rising to stardom as one of the NFL’s most versatile weapons these past two seasons. An integral part of the Broncos offense, Thomas could command over $8 million per season from a team looking for a big-time weapon, as he is one of the most athletic players in the game and is an elite red zone weapon.

While the Broncos will miss having Thomas around as a valuable chess piece and mis-match maker, there are other options who could be available in free agency. Baltimore Ravens TE Owen Daniels certainly knows Gary Kubiak as well as anybody and would be a safe, reliable signing, though he doesn’t offer much in the form of excitement as a pass-catcher.

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An impending free agent tight end who would bring some explosiveness to the table for the Broncos offense as Thomas’s replacement would be Miami Dolphins TE Charles Clay, who is seen as a priority free agent for the ‘Fins.

According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Clay is one of the free agents that the Broncos “might pursue” when free agency opens up, and he’s seemed like an ideal replacement ever since people started mulling over the chances of Orange Julius re-signing with the team. Cleveland Browns uber-athletic TE Jordan Cameron is another stud of a “move” TE set to hit the open market, and while there’s a higher chance of him being available, his proneness to injury makes Clay a more ideal option for the Broncos, who did have to deal with a few missed games here and there from Thomas.

Like Cameron and Thomas, Clay doesn’t bring much to the table as a blocker, but he does bring even more to the table in terms of versatility. In fact, he might be the most versatile tight end in the NFL, because he has the ability to line up in the slot, out wide, in-line, or in the backfield as an H-back. He’s somebody defenses always have to account for, and the Dolphins certainly understand the value that stems from his ability to move around the formation more than any other TE in the league.

A fluid 6’3″, 255-pound beast with sub-4.7 wheels, Clay is just 26 and is one of the league’s more consistent players in the intermediate passing game, which makes him a perfect safety blanket for Peyton Manning. Clay isn’t as explosive as Thomas, but he might be an even better route-runner.

Per Pro Football Focus, Clay dropped just two passes last season, and Advanced Football Analytics had him at an excellent 69% catch rate. This is a guy the Dolphins clearly want to keep, and it’s obvious why plenty of teams will line up for him in free agency. Not only can he play anywhere on the field, but he has quietly been one of the most consistent pass-catchers in the game over the past two seasons. He may have only put up 58 receptions for 605 yards last season, but don’t let that fool you.

We saw what a QB like Manning can do for talented pass-catchers, as he helped turn Emmanuel Sanders into arguably a top-ten receiver by taking full advantage of Sanders’s fluidity as a route-runner. Sanders is a guy who can line up inside or outside and win at all levels. While Clay isn’t a guy who can win downfield, his versatility and ability to move the chains could allow him to explode in the Broncos offense. He isn’t as athletic as Thomas, but he’s no slouch in that department either.

Last offseason, we had an opportunity to interview New England Patriots elite safety Devin McCourty, who is also an impending free agent this offseason, and we asked him to name the toughest matchups he’s faced. Brandon Marshall and scat back Darren Sproles were two players he named, but it was also interesting to see him name Charles Clay.

McCourty said of Clay, “At safety, I think one of the toughest covers is [Charles] Clay from Miami. He’s a guy that doesn’t get that much talk about because he’s not the true 6’4”, 265-pound tight end, but Charles Clay is a really tough match-up. He’s a bigger guy and he’s quick and he has good speed. So he’s tough.”

Dec 7, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Charles Clay (42) runs against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. Ravens won 28-13. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

There’s no doubt that McCourty has plenty of experience battling with the Dolphins standout, and there’s no doubt that Clay has sick quickness per his size. I mean, there’s a reason why he caught nearly 70% of everything thrown at him last season, and he could surpass that catch rate if he were to join the Denver Broncos.

Replacing Thomas wouldn’t be as difficult of a task for the Broncos as it would be to replace Demaryius Thomas or Terrance Knighton, so that’s a big reason why the Broncos are more keen on keeping those two players around than a TE who rejected an $8 million offer from the team before the 2014 season.

Thomas has his eyes set on becoming the NFL’s highest-paid TE, so the Broncos would be better off saving a couple of million dollars per season by signing Clay.

While Clay isn’t as explosive or athletic as Orange Julius (or as dominant in the red zone), he’s more than good in those facets and is more versatile and, perhaps, reliable. It makes plenty of sense for the Broncos to go after him as their next starting tight end, but we’ll see if the Dolphins are able to keep him from hitting the market.

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