Mike Klis reports that the negotiation between the Broncos and the agent for DE Elvis Dumervil has not progressed this weekend.

Given the circumstances, and the way this story first broke, we're of course not in the least bit surprised.

According to Klis, the two sides exchanged proposals on Thursday and Friday, and there's been radio silence ever since.

Mike Florio's interpretation is that Denver knows how much Elvis is willing to play for, and they're now scouring the DE market to see if they can get better value with someone else, whether it's Dwight Freeney, Osi Umenyiora, John Abraham, or Cliff Avril.

Again, this is about the Broncos wanting to cut Dumervil's salary - by a lot (think half). It's not about creating more cap room; Denver will have plenty of space to work with once D.J. Williams and/or Joe Mays are cut free.

If this were about space, the process wouldn't be playing out in the media over the course of so many days. We'd have learned about it after the fact, and Elvis's overall compensation would be no worse for the wear - he'd still be making $12M in 2013. It simply would have been shifted around, with some salary converted into a signing or roster bonus.

So, what's going on here?

The context of Elvis's contract has changed in the three years since he signed it, and that's not necessarily through any fault of his own. In 2009, he led the league in sacks with 17, and along with Champ Bailey, Brandon Marshall, and Ryan Clady, Dumervil was inarguably one of the team's very best players.

Today, it's not clear that Elvis is even one of the team's top seven or eight players - Peyton Manning, Von Miller, Clady, Bailey, Demaryius Thomas, Chris Harris, and Eric Decker likely all rank ahead of him, while proponents of Wesley Woodyard and Orlando Franklin might have an argument, too.

Does that mean Elvis has regressed, or that he's not worth a $12M salary in today's NFL?

Not at all.

But that doesn't mean he's worth $12M to the Broncos in 2013, and obviously, the team has come to that very conclusion.

With Miller the centerpiece of the defense, Elvis's role has been altered, to the point where he's simplified his pass-rushing repertoire. Instead of a sack machine with a variety of moves, Doom's been rendered a pure speed rusher. His role in Jack Del Rio's defense doesn't require a talent rare enough to command a $12M salary.

If Dumervil hits the market this week, and pulls in a $10M salary with another team, will that equate to Denver having miscalculated his value?

Nope.

Whatever he ends up with, it's a pretty good bet that it'll be more than what the Broncos are currently proposing.

They've decided what a speed rusher is worth to them in 2013, and it's nowhere near the $12M Dumervil is contracted for.