Broncos' Baron Browning gives new meaning to contract year with fans now literally invested in him

Updated Sep. 11, 2024 8:11 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A smattering of players on every team entered their contract year over the weekend when the NFL kicked off its 105th season.

Among the bigger names playing out the last year of their current contracts are Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett and wide receivers Keenan Allen of the Bears and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown of the Chiefs.

While impending free agents all have fans rooting for these players to have a monster season, a new twist has been added to Broncos outside linebacker Baron Browning 's quest for a standout season leading to a big pay raise in 2025.

The fourth-year edge rusher from Ohio State has fans who are literally invested in his success — not just emotionally, but now financially, too.

Browning headlined a new investment platform this spring that allowed fans to start buying and selling shares in the future on-the-field earnings of professional athletes. His very own stock will begin trading in a few weeks.

So, Browning is No. 5 in your program and his ticker on the stock market is BDBR.

Browning’s initial offering as Vestible's launch athlete recently closed after raising $656,730 with 65,673 shares sold at $10 each (minimum of 10 shares).

If investors hold onto the stock, they could make a profit if Browning's career earnings surpass his market valuation of $65 million. Or they could trade the stock on the secondary market that will be established following the requisite 30-day compliance period.

“It's definitely been enjoyable,” said Browning. “It’s a new way for fans and athletes to connect. Being the first one to do it has been cool, I appreciate them giving me the opportunity.”

Browning received 80% of the proceeds from his IPO, or $525,384.

In exchange, shareholders receive 1% of his on-field earnings for the rest of his NFL playing career. Investors will receive monthly dividend distributions or they can trade Browning's stock on Vestible's app once the secondary market opens at the end of September.

Browning is set to earn a $3.116 million salary in 2024, the final year of his four-year, $4.79 million deal he signed as a third-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2021.

Browning made a successful switch from inside linebacker to edge rusher in 2022 but he also suffered a right knee injury that season that caused him to miss the first six games in 2023. Upon his return to action, Browning played a major role in Denver’s defensive-fueled turnaround last season.

As such, Browning fits Vestible’s profile as an up-and-comer with a massive upside potential, said cofounders Yves Batoba and Parker Graham.

Batoba and Graham were teammates on Oklahoma State’s football team more than a decade ago, and each had a brief stint in the NFL — Graham as an offensive tackle for the Ravens in 2014 and Batoba as the Dolphins assistant director of player development for several years.

After football, Graham went to work in investment management and founded the banking software company Finotta. This is his second start-up. After several years with the Dolphins, Batoba branched out into comprehensive athlete development.

They began brainstorming during the pandemic ways to unite the sports and investment worlds. Other platforms have attempted to do that but those ventures used tracking stocks with values tied to an athlete’s on-field performance. Vestible’s securities are solely based on market demand.

Vestible will add more athletes from the NFL and NBA to its ranks by year's end with that same sort of late bloomer vibe that Browning has, Graham said.

“He's kind of a diamond in the rough, if you will," Graham said. “And our models find players like that and allow folks to believe in them at the earliest stage, so that when hopefully Baron goes out and has a great season this year, everyone gets to succeed: him, his fans, his investors."

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