At this time last year, the Broncos spent a significant portion of NFL free agency’s “soft opening” working on a contract extension with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, their own cornerback.

They were close, they were close, they were even closer. Then, abruptly, the Broncos called off negotiations on the first official night of free agency and signed another cornerback, Aqib Talib, away from New England.

A new free-agency period is upon us. The 2015 league season will open for business at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Which free-agent players will the Broncos sign?

Free agency is often such a fluid exercise, the player the Broncos are targeting when they wake up Tuesday morning may be another player by Tuesday night.

Besides Rodgers-Cromartie, who wound up signing with the New York Giants last year, the Broncos also were close to signing free-agent receiver Brandon LaFell but instead wound up with Emmanuel Sanders.

What is certain is the Broncos will lose far more expensive free-agent players this week than they will bring in.

Tight end Julius Thomas is expected to sign Tuesday with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a multiyear deal worth in the $9 million-per-year neighborhood. Left guard Orlando Franklin will wind up with the San Diego Chargers on a five-year contract worth $7.3 million per year.

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton will be allowed to reach the open market as the Broncos’ switch to a 3-4 defense leaves the team in decent shape with Sylvester Williams and Marvin Austin at the nose position.

The Broncos are monitoring the market for their safety Rahim Moore, backup tight end Virgil Green and backup linebacker Nate Irving. The team also tendered a $1.542 million salary to backup cornerback Tony Carter, a restricted free agent.

That salary is not guaranteed. The Broncos would have right of first refusal if another team tries to sign Carter away.

As for other available free-agent players, the Broncos will visit Wednesday with former St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Kendall Langford.

The team also has expressed interest, to varying degrees, in fullback Jerome Felton, tight ends Owen Daniels and Ed Dickson and centers Chris Myers and Samson Satele.

Langford, a projected five-technique defensive end in the 3-4, played four seasons with the Miami Dolphins and the past three in St. Louis. He is coming off a contract that paid him $16 million in the previous three seasons.

Felton, 28, has played for four teams in eight seasons, the past three years with the Minnesota Vikings. The Broncos haven’t employed a fullback since Chris Gronkowski in 2012, but new coach Gary Kubiak wants one for his offense.

Daniels, 32, has played every snap of his eight-year career with Kubiak as his coach. Kubiak was the Houston Texans’ head coach and Daniels his starting tight end from 2006-13. The two moved to Baltimore in 2014 with Kubiak in the role of the Ravens’ offensive coordinator.

Myers, 33, played three seasons with the Broncos, starting five games at left guard and 11 at center in 2007 before he was traded to Houston in 2008. He started every game for seven consecutive seasons with the Texans before he was released last week.

Those are some possibilities for now. Tuesday may bring a new plan.