The call came late, but it didn't come as a surprise. When the Broncos finally did reach out to All-Pro guard Evan Mathis, the opportunity was just too good to pass up.
"There were just so many things about this team ... that I just couldn't turn it down," Mathis said. "I had to be here."
Mathis, a two-time Pro Bowler who has rated among the top guards in the league the last four seasons, agreed on Tuesday to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Broncos that could be worth as much as $4 million with incentives.