Broncos release recently acquired LB

A Denver-area native, Martin played in five games with his hometown team. The outside linebacker recorded a sack and two tackles for loss as a Bronco. Knee trouble limited Martin last season. As a vested veteran, he will skip the waiver process and pass through to free agency. The Jets gave Martin a three-year, $13.5M deal in 2022. The Broncos will save $3.8M by shedding the through-2024 contract from their cap sheet. This will bump Denver’s cap-space figure just past $10M.

Last season, the Broncos dealt with injuries to most of their edge rushers. Randy Gregory went down in October and did not return until mid-December. Both he and Martin finished the season on IR, with the Broncos moving Martin off their 53-man roster in December. Denver also played without Baron Browning for a stretch.

Martin had tallied at least three sacks from 2018-21, totaling four with the Texans during his 2021 platform year. Also part of the 2019 trade that sent Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle, Martin played three seasons for the Texans before commanding that Jets free agency deal. Gang Green guaranteed the edge defender $6M in the agreement, but the Broncos’ Wednesday decision closes the book on that contract. Denver created $5.9M in cap space by cutting Edmonds in March.

Gregory, Browning and 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto reside as the Broncos’ top edge players. The team did not draft an outside ‘backer nor did it make a notable investment at the position in free agency. Though, third-round linebacker Drew Sanders recorded 9.5 sacks at Arkansas last season and may be set for a hybrid role of sorts.