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ESPN Senior Writer- ESPN NFL Insider
- Joined ESPN in 2009
- Former president of the Pro Football Writers of America and the author of four books
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ESPN Senior Writer- Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987.
Free-agent guard Orlando Franklin has told people he will sign a five-year deal with the San Diego Chargers, a source told ESPN.
If the contract is signed, it is expected to be worth close to $36.5 million with $20 million of guarantees.
Franklin will leave the Denver Broncos and reunite with his former offensive coordinator in Denver, Mike McCoy, now San Diego's head coach.
Franklin, who missed just one start -- a Week 7 game in 2013 against the Indianapolis Colts -- in his four seasons with the Broncos, started games at both guard and tackle for one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.
In 2011, he was a starter on the league's No. 1 rushing team when the Broncos moved to a read-option look with Tim Tebow at quarterback. And in 2013, he started on an offense that set the league's single-season scoring record with 606 points as quarterback Peyton Manning set league records for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55).
After three seasons at right tackle, Franklin was moved to left guard in 2014 after Zane Beadles had signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. Franklin steadily gained momentum after a somewhat sluggish start at the position; he had not played guard since 2009, his junior season at the University of Miami. By the end of the season, several personnel executives in the league felt they wanted to keep an eye on him.
Overall, however, it was a difficult year for the Broncos' offensive front, as the team made four lineup changes around Franklin. He and left tackle Ryan Clady were the only starters who were not moved. For the year, the Broncos' running backs were hit at, or behind, the line of scrimmage on a third of the team's rushing attempts and they struggled to consistently protect Manning.
Franklin, 27, started 63 regular-season games for the Broncos to go with seven playoff games.