After losing defensive end Patrick Kerney to the Seattle Seahawks in a bidding war, the Denver Broncos weren't going to be outdone.
The Broncos outbid the Seahawks for Patriots tight end Daniel Graham in negotiations that went well into Tuesday night. Graham ended up with a five-year, $30 million deal from the Broncos that included $15 million in guarantees.
As negotiations drew to a close, Graham was torn as to which team was best for him. The idea of getting back to Colorado appealed to him. He went to high school in Denver and attended the University of Colorado. But the Seahawks situation was also appealing. They wanted to draft him in the first round in 2002.
Graham's father, Tom, played for the Broncos from 1972-74.
"I stayed out of it," Tom Graham told The Associated Press. "It was his decision. We're excited about it, though."
Graham's agent, Tom Mills, didn't shop the offers of either team but in the end he needed to see where the numbers would go. The Broncos stepped up at the end by offering the most dollars and the most guarantees. Graham took the Broncos deal.
The former first-round choice of the Patriots was considered the top tight end on the free agent market.
"He's very tenacious, doesn't take a play off," Tom Graham said. "He's earned his money. I think he will earn it in the future."
John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.