What Frank Clark, Randy Gregory breakups mean for Broncos - ESPN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Denver Broncos have certainly made mistakes in a 1-4 start.

And over the last seven days, they've admitted they certainly made expensive mistakes.

Last week they told outside linebacker Randy Gregory, who had signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the team in March 2022, he would be released if the team could not trade him.

They then traded Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers, with the concession they would pay most of Gregory's salary for the remainder of the season — just over $10 million. That means Gregory still has the fourth-highest base salary for the season without being on the roster.

Thursday, just hours before the Broncos would face the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium on «Thursday Night Football» (8:20 ET, Prime Video), ESPN's Field Yates reported outside linebacker Frank Clark's days with the Broncos were «numbered.'' Clark has two tackles and zero sacks and has missed three games this season with a hip injury.

• Broncos' Simmons still chasing playoffs
• Bears hoping to energize defense
• Cowboys' D aims to rebound vs. Chargers
• Richardson's health already an issue
• Eagles' Carter producing historic stats
• Titans sticking to routine for London game

Clark, who signed a one-year deal with several voidable years tacked on for accounting in the offseason that guaranteed him $5.45 million, has agreed to a restructured deal that would negate $1.68 million of that guaranteed money, seemingly to help the Broncos trade him. But the Broncos may still have to pay some of the guaranteed money left on the deal in any trade.

And while Clark's tenuous status may not be a surprise — sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN in August that team officials, including coach Sean