With NFL free agency just over one week away, the Denver Broncos are about $14 million over the salary cap. Denver will need to make some roster moves and restructure a few contracts to get under the cap and create enough room to re-sign some of the team’s key in-house free agents.
Before anything else, the Broncos will worry about their in-house players and then pending free agents from other teams. The bulk of the league’s big signings will happen within the first wave of free agency, then things will then start to slow down.
Denver probably won’t have a lot of cap space to work with, so the team’s signings will be calculated, and perhaps minimal. Once the Broncos have wrapped up the bulk of their 2024 signings, attention will turn to potential extensions for players set to become free agents in 2025.
There’s always something on deck in the NFL.
Here’s a quick look ahead to 10 Denver players scheduled to become free agents in 2025 who deserve contract extensions from the Broncos.
10
TE Lucas Krull
Krull will be an exclusive rights free agent next year, so it will be easy for Denver to extend him through the 2025 season with a one-year ERFA tender. Broncos coach Sean Payton has spoken highly of Krull in the past and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the tight end take a big step forward in 2024.
9
CB Ja'Quan McMillian
Another ERFA tender candidate, bringing back McMillian in 2025 will be an easy decision. The second-year pro had a breakout season with the Broncos last fall and he’ll likely go into the 2024 campaign as the team’s top slot cornerback.
8
RB Javonte Williams
Williams is listed low on this list because the Broncos won’t rush into giving him an extension. Coming off a serious knee injury, Williams saw his production slip in 2023. If the running back has a bounce-back season in 2024, Denver should consider giving him an extension in 2025. But the team will let next season play out before making a decision.
7
DB Caden Sterns
Similar to Williams, Denver will likely see how Sterns holds up in 2024 before potentially giving him a new deal in 2025. The 24-year-old safety has plenty of talent, but he has struggled to stay healthy over the last two seasons. If he recovers and stays on the field in 2024, he’ll be in line to return in 2025. His health this fall will be the deciding factor.
6
OT Garett Bolles
Bolles is set to have a $20 million salary cap hit this year and the Broncos could get some cap relief by giving the offensive tackle an extension. Unless the team has a backup plan for a reliable tackle to quickly replace Bolles, giving him an extension makes the most sense.
5
DB Justin Simmons
Similar to Bolles, Simmons has a cap hit ($18.25 million) that could be lowered in 2024 if the team gives him an extension. Denver could attempt to trade the safety, but giving Simmons an extension makes the most sense for the defense and the salary cap.
4
OLB Jonathon Cooper
Cooper quietly led the team with 8.5 sacks last season after Randy Gregory and Frank Clark proved to be free agent bust signings. Cooper even out-paced the eight sacks of Nik Bonitto, a former second-round pick. Cooper is likely best suited to play in a rotational role, but he has proven he can step in as a starter when needed. The Broncos should reward him with an extension.
3
OLB Baron Browning
At best, Browning is a starting-caliber edge defender with big potential. At worst, he’s a top rotational pass rusher with injury concerns. If he stays healthy for the entire 2024 season, Browning could easily have a breakout year. And if he does struggle with injuries again, Denver could bring him back as a rotational player on a cheaper deal.
2
OL Quinn Meinerz
The Broncos definitely won’t want to let Meinerz hit the open market in 2025. After the next player on this list, Meinerz is the second-most likely candidate to get an in-season extension from Denver in 2024. Meinerz has emerged as one of the best guards in the NFL and the Broncos won’t want to compete with other teams to re-sign him in 2025. Giving him an extension should be a top priority.
1
CB Pat Surtain
No player on this list is more important to the Broncos than Surtain, who ranks among the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Denver can buy some time by picking up Surtain’s fifth-year option for 2025, but a long-term extension should be a top priority for the Broncos.
