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The Broncos will cut defensive end Elvis Dumervil on Friday if he doesn’t take a significant pay cut. Although all indications are that Dumervil isn’t willing to cut his pay by as much as the Broncos want, Denver front office boss John Elway says he wants Dumervil to realize that there’s just no way he’s ever going to get paid the $12 million salary on his current contract.

“It’s so far out of whack,” Elway told the Denver Post of Dumervil’s salary. “Hopefully, he realizes that.”

Elway says he feels bad asking a good player to take a pay cut and understands why players resist. But he also said it’s just part of the business.

“These are the deals that wrench your gut,” Elway said. “As an ex-player, I hate to see that. I hated to see that happen to a teammate. And I hate having to do it, in the position I’m in. But I’ve got to do what’s best for this football team.”

It’s looking like Elway will decide that what’s best for the Broncos is to release Dumervil and sign another defensive end.