If the Denver Broncos are unable to reach a restructured agreement with Elvis Dumervil, they could trade or even release him and use veteran Dwight Freeney as a fallback option, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

Dumervil’s current contract includes a clause that states his $12 million salary for the 2013 campaign becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year, which is March 16. For this reason, Denver has a limited amount of time to get something done with him.

If a restructured deal is not agreed upon, the Broncos could attempt to trade Dumervil or even release him. If they wind up parting ways with the talented defender, they would look to acquire another pass rusher. Freeney would certainly be a candidate, as he could potentially reunite with Peyton Manning in Denver.

Freeney struggled to convert to the 3-4 last season, as his overall production declined. But Klis notes that there is some thought that the Broncos would be better off with the veteran at a reduced rate rather than playing Dumervil $12 million in 2013.