Evan Mathis, who drew interest from Dolphins, signs with Broncos

In the end, Evan Mathis signed with a established contender.

The veteran guard, who drew interest from the Dolphins among others, signed with the Denver Broncos late Tuesday. The incentive-laden deal is worth a maximum of $4 million — just shy of the $5.5 million he sought during a protracted free agency.

Mathis, cut by the Eagles during the offseason, joins a Broncos team that is gearing up for possibly a final run with Peyton Manning. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has been in contact with the Dolphins for weeks, but Mathis ultimately decided to sign with a more proven team.

With Mathis off the market, it's all but certain that the Dolphins' starting guards will be Dallas Thomas and either Billy Turner or Jamil Douglas, with Turner the favorite to win the job at right guard.

This story was originally published August 25, 2015 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Evan Mathis, who drew interest from Dolphins, signs with Broncos."