Broncos sign Ryan Clady to five

Posted: 07/14/2013 04:27:25 PM MDT

Updated: 07/14/2013 04:29:40 PM MDT

First thing Monday morning, the Broncos, their left tackle Ryan Clady and his agent Pat Dye Jr. should each send a test fax transmission.

No sense waiting till the last minute, right fellas?

The two sides will wake up on deadline day very close to an agreement on a five-year contract extension that would make Clady one the NFL's top three highest-paid offensive lineman, according to sources on both sides.

A year after the first round of contract negotiations between the team and Clady broke off, leaving him to play the 2012 season on a club-friendly $3.5 million salary, the two sides appear to have found common ground through compromise.

In the most recent swap of proposals, the Broncos had dramatically improved the guaranteed portion from their offer a year ago while Clady significantly reduced his annual and total value requests. If an agreement is reached, the five-year deal would exceed $50 million with more than $30 million in guarantees.

Only Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas ($11.5 million annual value on an eight-year, $92 million extension with $44 million in guarantees) and possibly Philadelphia left tackle Jason Peters would be better compensated. Peters' contract can be viewed as either six years and $60.66 million, or four years and $53 million.

An agreement on Clady's long-term security must be reached by 2 p.m. Monday. Otherwise, Clady would play this season on a one-year, $9.823 million salary, courtesy of the franchise tag.

Once Clady's contract situation is settled one way or the other Monday, the next step will be to get him healthy. To continue his iron-man streak that is currently at 80 regular-season games (83 counting playoffs), he will have to finish his recovery from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Clady suffered the injury late in the 2012 season. Although he is expected to miss the first week or two of training camp, the Broncos are confident Clady will be ready to play by the Broncos' regular-season opener Sept. 5 against Baltimore.

Much of this optimism stems from Clady's proven healing powers. A misstep on a basketball court in late-April, 2010 left Clady with a torn patella tendon in his knee that required major surgery to repair. Yet, he played in all 16 games that year, then earned Pro Bowl berths the next two seasons.

Waiting for Clady on the Broncos' starting offensive line are left guard Zane Beadles, center Dan Koppen, right guard Louis Vasquez and right tackle Orlando Franklin. Chris Kuper, a starting guard the previous six seasons, will compete for a spot once he recovers from his second left ankle surgery in two years, as will veteran guard-center Manny Ramirez.

Mike Klis: 303-95-1055; mklis@denverpost.com; Twitter:@mikeklis