The Denver Broncos haven't been a team that has been afraid to spend big money in free agency, and a lot of to the time, it has worked out well.

There have been some busts, but there have been a lot more good signings than bad.

Let's break down the five best free-agent signings in Broncos history.

5. Ed McCaffrey

When most think of Ed McCaffrey today, they think of his son, Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey. But before his son was a star, Ed was a great player in his own right.

McCaffrey signed with the Broncos in 1995 and in each of his first six seasons with the team, he had at least 477 receiving yards. Three years in a row, McCaffrey had at least 1,000 receiving yards, including in 2000 when he caught 101 passes for 1,317 yards.

McCaffrey retired after the 2003 season after playing 121 games with the Broncos.

4. Mark Schlereth

These days Mark Schlereth is known as a media personality, but he was once one of the best offensive lineman in all of football.

Schlereth signed with the Broncos in 1995, and he played his last six seasons in the Mile High City.

He was a part of some of the best teams in franchise history, and his mentality was adopted by the rest of the offensive line.

3. Emmanuel Sanders

Emmanuel Sanders was a fan favorite during his time with the Broncos and for good reason since he was a game-changer. Sanders was signed before the 2014 season on a one-year contract that only paid him $12 million.

The fact the Broncos were able to get Sanders for only $12 million was a heist. In his first season with the Broncos, Sanders caught 101 passes for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Broncos were able to win the Super Bowl in 2016, and it probably wouldn't have happened if Sanders wouldn't have been on the team. Sanders was traded midseason during the 2019 season to the San Francisco 49ers.

2. Aqib Talib

Aquib Talib only played four seasons with the Broncos, but he is still one of the best free-agent signings in history.

Heading into the 2014 season, the Broncos knew they needed a shutdown cornerback, so the team brought in Talib to do the job. In 58 games with the Broncos, Talib had 11 interceptions and scored six touchdowns.

Talib was a shutdown corner and in a lot of close games during the 2015 season, they needed the defense to make big plays late. Talib was often the one to make the big play.

1. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning was a high-risk signing when he joined the Denver Broncos in 2012 because of the numerous nick surgeries he had undergone.  There were some who believed he should have retired, but he was set on continuing to play.

In 2013, Manning won the NFL MVP award, and even though his play wasn't elite during the 2015 season, he did enough to lead the team to a Super Bowl. Manning threw for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns and both of those were career highs.

Manning is still known first for his play with the Indianapolis Colts, but he still goes down as the best free-agent signings in Broncos history.