Broncos draft previews
Offense: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive line
Defense: Defensive line | Outside linebackers | Inside linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties

Broncos’ in-house offseason moves: Re-signed Alex Palczewski to a two-year deal.

Under contract: Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Palczewski, Frank Crum, Alex Forsyth, Matt Peart, Nick Gargiulo, Michael Deiter, Calvin Throckmorton, Marques Cox and Nash Jones.

Need scale (1-10): 6. At first glance, the offensive line might not seem like a pressing Broncos need. After all, Denver has all five starters back from last year, is paying all of them handsomely and has built a developmental group in Palczewski, Crum and Forsyth behind that have all stepped into games ably. At some point, though, the Broncos are going to need a fresh wave of younger, cheaper players. Not all at once, most likely, but over the next couple of years. Powers is in the final year of his deal and Bolles and McGlinchey will be 34 and 32, respectively, when the season starts. Now’s the time to build depth and options for the future.

The Top Five

Francis Mauigoa, Miami

It����ap not a bad year to need an offensive lineman in the draft, but it����ap not a good year to need a left tackle. Mauigoa is a big, athletic right tackle. One of many in this class. There’s no one or two linemen in this group that are head-and-shoulders above the rest. There’s not a guy that teams look at and say, ‘Easy enough. Just pick him and you’ve got your left tackle for the next decade.” But there are still quality options and Mauigoa is one of a small handful who could be the first off the board.

Spencer Fano, Utah

Fano could also be the first lineman to go. He’s a veteran right tackle — his teammate with the Utes, left tackle Caleb Lomu, could also end up being a first-round pick. Fano is 6-6 and 311 pounds and could probably play any of the interior spots, along with tackle. He’s one of the best athletes in the group, having run 4.91 seconds in the 40 at the combine to go along with explosive jumping and agility numbers.

Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

Ioane is one of the best examples of an interesting trend in the 2026 draft class: Several of the players who are considered to have the best combination of talent and safety — a good recipe for the top of the board — play what are considered non-premium positions. RB Jeremiyah Love. ILB Sonny Styles. S Caleb Downs. So on and so forth. Ioane fits that mold, too. He’s a mauler. He’s athletic. He’s likely plug-and-play. He’s also a guard. Ioane is a sure-fire first-rounder and could easily go in the top half despite his position.

Monroe Freeling, Georgia

In a class where many prospects are five and six-year college players, Freeling won’t turn 22 until around the time training camp starts. So he might not be as polished as some of the older players, but he’s big (6-7, 315), athletic and talented. He ran 4.93 at the combine and jumped 33.5 inches vertical. He played left tackle for the Bulldogs in 2025 and might be the best bet to be a long-term solution on that side in this draft.

Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

An absolutely massive player who might have the most upside in the class, but also comes with more question marks. Proctor has struggled with consistency in his career, but he’s 6-7 and 352 pounds, played left tackle at Alabama, and, if he hits his ceiling, can be a premier player at a premier position. If the edge athletes are too fast for him to handle in pass protection, he could be a road-grading guard.

Broncos options

Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech

There’s no guarantee Rutledge will be around at No. 62, but he’d be a compelling option if he made it that far. At the combine, Rutledge said he models his game after Broncos RG Quinn Meinerz and Indianapolis LG Quenton Nelson. At 6-4 and 316, he clocked a 5.05 in the 40 and had explosive testing numbers. According to The Athletic, Rutledge has a foot injury stemming from a 2023 car crash that could be a flag for teams.

Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

Pregnon would be a great story at No. 62. He’s a Denver native who played at Thomas Jefferson High before starting his college career at Wyoming (2020-22). Then played two years at USC before spending last year at Oregon. He started 51 games the past four years, including time at both left and right guard. He took a top-30 visit with the Broncos.

JT Tuimoloau, Northwestern

A massive and perhaps under-appreciated tackle from the alma mater of Broncos offensive line coach and run game coordinator Zach Strief? Now that would make some sense, too, but would likely have to be at No. 62. Tiernan checked into the combine at 6-8 and 323 pounds and jumped 35.5 inches vertical. He’s played both tackle spots and could probably handle either guard spot, too. Add him to Palcho and Crum and you’ve got a versatile trio with which to sort out your future up front.

Jude Bowry, Boston College

Bowry might still be on the board when the Broncos’ fourth-round picks come up. He’s got attributes to like in that he’s a good athlete and he’s strong. He’s played both left and right tackle at 6-5 and 314 pounds. He took a top-30 visit to the Broncos. Denver believes strongly in its ability to develop pass-protectors, so this would be an interesting development project.

Brian Parker, Duke

Would require a bit of imagination since Parker is training as a center after spending his college career mostly playing tackle. Denver is set at center after extending Luke Wattenberg in November, but a guy who could legitimately play any spot along the line would no doubt be an asset. Even if he were best suited for the interior three spots, that would be just fine for a Day 3 pick.

The Broncos head coach and general manager are set to spend most of the first four weeks of April sequestered in front of a big screen in Denver’s team room, clickers in hand, watching tape of draft prospects.

Tape, tape and more tape.

“(Wednesday) morning at 7:30 a.m., we enter that team meeting room and we’re in there for the next 26 days,” Payton said Tuesday.

Last spring, they spent so much time sitting in chairs next to each other that Payton copped to accidentally drinking out of his general manager’s water bottle instead of his own.

“You break for lunch and you break for dinner,” Payton said a week before Denver selected Jahdae Barron at No. 20 overall last spring. “You go through the rounds and others will come back in with (information) — maybe we hand two scouts and two coaches a clump of outside linebackers or a clump of nose tackles.”

There are layers to the strong relationship that has grown between Payton and Paton over the past three-plus years, but their shared love of evaluating players is at the center.

Spring weather on the Front Range can be invigorating, but for Paton and Payton, April beauty is identifying a mid-round pick who becomes an impact player.

“You are dying to fall in love with guys,” Payton said last year.

This spring, of course, the Broncos will be waiting quite a while to make their first pick. After trading their first-round pick and more for star receiver Jaylen Waddle, Denver is not currently on the board until No.  62 overall, the 30th pick of the second round, which arrives on the draft����ap second day.

That����ap familiar territory for Paton, though, who will be operating without a first-rounder for the third time in six drafts as Denver’s general manager.

“Obviously, we’re focused on 30 in the second (round),” Paton said Monday at the NFL’s spring meetings. “We’ve fortunately been there before — I think two different times. We have a good feel for that. We can hone in.”

Paton was careful not to rule out trading up from No. 62, but Denver has depleted draft capital after the trade. Packaging No. 62 and one of its fourth-round picks (Nos. 108 and 111) might allow the team to slide up a few spots and dealing both could potentially get the Broncos to the middle of the second round. Denver could dip into its haul of 2027 picks and is in line for potentially two compensatory selections, too.

Overall, though, Payton and Paton are in for a long wait.

“We have a pretty good feel for that realm,” Paton said.

When they finally do arrive on the clock, here are the positions the Broncos find themselves most in need of adding to.

The Broncos still need a mismatch tight end

Maybe the term “Joker” has finally fallen out of vogue in ����apountry, but the value of that player — a mismatch in the middle part of the field — most certainly has not. Not to Payton.

“Every year,” Payton said earlier this year at the NFL Combine. “We’re always looking for the tight end or running back that has those traits. They’re hard to find, though.”

Particularly so for the Broncos and particularly so at tight end.

Denver thought it might have found one in veteran Evan Engram last year. The results? More OK than wow. Even if Engram fares better in his second season with the Broncos, the club needs a young playmaker at the position. Noah Fant flashed at times, but this has been a sore spot more or less since the days of Julius Thomas more than a decade ago.

Payton and Paton will be dying to fall in love with a tight end from a 2026 group that doesn’t have the same star power as last year, but that is deep and diverse from a skill-set and body type perspective. Is there a big guy with blocking chops that they see untapped receiving potential in? An undersized pass-catcher who can be a stout blocker with a bit of fine-tuning?

“There are some really good prospects, but I’m anxious to see who they are because right now I just know the names,” Payton said. … “Hopefully we can get to know them and possibly have a target in there.”

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has only Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq (No. 14 overall) , so perhaps Denver will have its pick of any tight end after Sadiq at No. 62, but Vanderbilt����ap Eli Stowers and Ohio State’s Max Klare are among a group of others who could come off the board around the Broncos’ first pick. Denver is doing its diligence on tight ends, including hosting NC State’s Justin Joly on a visit this week.

Sean Payton likes Denver’s running backs, but…

The Broncos are no strangers to taking a running back late in the second round. They did it just last year when they grabbed RJ Harvey at No. 60 overall.

Harvey had a productive rookie season, accumulating 12 total touchdowns and 896 offensive yards. He struggled to consistently produce as a rusher when called upon to be Denver’s lead back in the wake of J.K. Dobbins’ Lisfranc injury in November, but he undoubtedly has explosive ability.

Denver re-signed Dobbins and believes Harvey, a dynamic pass-catcher, will only trend upward in Year 2.

“We love the way RJ played,” Payton said Tuesday.

The day before, Paton called Harvey, “an explosive player and an explosive receiver out of the backfield. A matchup problem. He is going to get better as a runner. He got better as the year went on.”

Both men called the position one Denver could address in the draft or over the summer and pointed out that, this time a year ago, neither Harvey nor Dobbins (a June signing) were on the roster.

Whether it����ap in the second round or later, though, the Broncos could use more youth and overall dynamic ability in their room.

Offensive line isn’t a need right now, but could become one quickly

There’s an argument to be made for inside linebacker or safety as Denver’s next priority, but the Broncos have addressed each of those positions in some way over recent weeks. The Broncos signed safety and special teamer Tycen Anderson to a one-year deal. That����ap not a long-term defensive solution, which Denver could certainly still use and may look to the draft to address. Payton said this week that edge Jonah Elliss would get a look playing inside linebacker, too. Now the Broncos have Elliss, Jordan Turner, Drew Sanders, Levelle Bailey and Karene Reid behind their starting duo inside. Not much proven production defensively, but several options to sort through.

Meanwhile, the offensive line is one of the more fascinating groups on the roster.

Denver’s is one of the best in the business, and is poised, if healthy, to continue that run in 2026 and perhaps beyond.

The group has a back-to-back first-team All-Pro right guard in Quinn Meinerz and a newly extended center in Luke Wattenberg. Both tackles, Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey, played at a high level in 2025, with Bolles being named a first-team All-Pro.

Left guard Ben Powers is entering the final year of his deal in 2026 and, with the caveat that things can always change, looks likely headed into his final season with the Broncos.

�ٱ�Ա������retained Alex Palczewski with a two-year deal, and he could end up being the primary backup at three positions — LG, RG, and RT — in 2026 and then slide into Powers’ spot beyond that. Easy, right?

Well, yeah, as long as everybody else stays healthy. McGlinchey has had injury issues in the past, though he was mostly healthy in 2025. Bolles’ longevity is impressive and he’s shown not even a hint of decline from his perch as one of the premier athletes at left tackle.

And yet, Bolles and  McGlinchey will be 34 and 32, respectively, when Week 1 rolls around.

They could each play multiple more years at a high level or age could start to catch up with either or both quickly.

The Broncos, then, are in an enviable position but also one that carries perhaps more risk than first glance might suggest.

They have developmental options in the pipeline in Palczewski, tackle Frank Crum, center Alex Forsyth and a wild card in Nick Gargiulo and they have built that depth using only seventh-round picks and undrafted free agency signings.

In fact, seventh-rounders Gargiulo (No. 256 in 2024) and Forsyth (No. 257 in 2023) are the only linemen Denver has drafted since Payton arrived as the coach.

Before them, Paton selected Wattenberg in the fifth round in 2022 and Meinerz in the third round in 2021.

That����ap four straight draft classes since 2021 in which only linemen were taken on Day 3. The Broncos currently have only one Day 2 pick this year, so that run could well continue. But offensive line — guard or tackle — feels like a real possibility, be it at No. 62, early in the fourth round, or somewhere in between, depending on how Paton and Payton maneuver with their picks.

A guard could push ‘Palcho’ and Crum further toward being the heirs apparent at each tackle spot. A tackle could line Palcho up as the left guard of the future. Either way, a young, talented player in the room would be a welcome addition, regardless of exactly where he plays or how good the Broncos’ room still looks on paper.

Denver’s third-year cornerback finished No. 12 in performance-based pay and brought home an extra $1,136,103 because of it.

That nearly doubles Moss’ pay for the 2025 season considering he had a base salary of $1,245,266.

Performance-based pay is supplemental income distributed each year to players by the based on a formula that weighs playing time against base salary. It is part of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the and has been in place since 2002.

The Broncos are the only NFL team to not yet sign a free agent. What’s the strategy?

Any player who plays a snap is eligible and many players receive at least some money, but players who have low salaries and end up playing a lot are typically in line for the biggest distributions.

Moss started all 17 regular-season games for the Broncos and logged 97% of Denver’s defensive snaps while also chipping in 15% of the club’s special teams snaps.

The performance-based pay pool continues to rise across the league. After distributing a total of $452 million a year ago, the league distributed $542 million this year. That means each club’s roster received a total of $16.65 million, up from $14.13 million a year ago.

Behind Moss, four other players topped $800,000: Center Luke Wattenberg ($887,647), nickel Ja’Quan McMillian ($866,178), offensive lineman Alex Palczewski ($853,302) and outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman ($808,853).

Most of the top of the list is young players on rookie contracts or former undrafted free agents. The rest of Denver’s top 10 went WR Troy Franklin, OLB Jonah Elliss, All-Pro special teamer Devon Key, RB Tyler Badie and DL Eyioma Uwazurike.

Established players and top draft picks can earn a good bit of extra money too, though.

Safety Talanoa Hufanga logged 97.7% of playing time based on the calculations and took home an extra $427,726. Starting quarterback Bo Nix got $369,400 and all-pro left guard Quinn Meinerz was right after him at $308,969.

A year ago, only five players league-wide topped $1 million in PBP. This year, 25 players topped that mark.

Last year Moss was third on the Broncos at $650,787, trailing McMillian ($773,090) and Wattenberg ($662,587).

Last Tuesday, soon-to-be free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins was working out in the Broncos’ facility when he got a buzz from Payton to come up to his office. Dobbins finished, wandered up, and sat with Denver’s head coach for a simple conversation that’ll form the genesis of how Denver’s not-so-new-look run game will produce in 2026.

Payton told Dobbins that he was his guy, a source familiar with the situation told the Denver Post. That said enough. Being a Payton Guy has extended NFL lives and poured millions upon millions of dollars into loyal bank accounts. Being a Payton Guy, as former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle told The Post last year, is a “badge of honor.” And Payton has praised Dobbins to reporters throughout the year, enamored with the spirited presence of a running back who chose specifically to rehab a midseason Lisfranc injury in Denver to stick around the team rather than have surgery elsewhere.

“Losing J.K., obviously, was a tough loss,” Payton said after Denver’s season ended. “He brought a lot more to the locker room than you would know.”

And Payton made clear he didn’t want to lose Dobbins come 2026, the source said, in that March 3 conversation. The reality of Denver’s situation was slightly more complex. Jets star running back Breece Hall loomed as a potential free-agent option; asked if the Broncos would’ve gone after Hall had he hit the open market, a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking told The Post the decision would’ve been a “no-brainer.” But New York .

Other top options, from Kenneth Walker III to Travis Etienne Jr., quickly fell off the board during the early week’s legal-tampering period of free agency. Dobbins remained, as his own market started to climb. And the Broncos moved quickly to secure their 2025 leading rusher, and certified Payton Guy, on a two-year deal.

That single sequence has encapsulated Denver’s dealings — or lack of them — through the first week of free agency. The reigning No. 1-seeded Broncos are approaching unprecedented levels of run-it-back roster retention. As of Friday, Denver is the only team in the NFL to not have signed a single external free agent. Not only that, but the Broncos have signed back 16 of their own 22 players set to hit free agency since late February.

The sheer wave of Payton favorites re-upping on minimum deals — tight end Nate Adkins, fullback Adam Prentice, receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, running back Jaleel McLaughlin — has washed in heaps of online vitriol from Denver’s own fanbase. Internally, the Broncos’ brass went into free agency aligned without expecting to make a massive splash in the market. Externally, the Broncos’ lack of activity gives the impression of an organization that is relying fully on its Payton-era foundation for a Super Bowl leap, for better or for worse.

The reasons for this week’s developments are multifaceted. But the overall reality is simple, lying in the hands of the head man still pulling the strings despite passing off the play-calling reins.

Asked their impression of the Broncos’ approach, one NFL assistant coach told The Post: “Sean obviously likes his football team.”

Growth inside the building

There’s plenty left to play out, from the trade market to April’s draft. Denver, after all, first signed Dobbins in June 2025. But data indicates the Broncos have taken a particularly unique strategy on the first go-around of the free-agent carousel.

According to player data collected and analyzed by The Post, Denver currently has 94% of its total snaps from the 2025 season under contract. In the last 10 years, no team that’s made the AFC Championship Game has gone into the following season retaining more than 83.2% of its snaps from the previous year (the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs set this mark).

“Good call,” one NFL agent, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Denver, of course, was the furthest thing from broken in a 14-3 season in 2025. The issue: its offense, by all accounts, was continually bent out of shape. Payton fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and receivers coach Keary Colbert after a 14th-place finish in points per game in 2025 and appointed a separate play-caller — 31-year-old Davis Webb — for the first time in his 18-year head-coaching career.

At the NFL Combine, Payton was asked whether coming so close to a Super Bowl appearance influenced him to consider a big offseason swing or simply to stay the course. He directly acknowledged that the Broncos played the margins too thin in a season of white-knuckle moments at Empower Field.

“From my lens, we won a lot of games by one score or less, right?” Payton said then. “And I’m not naive enough to think those games couldn’t have swung, and you could grab any two or three. But where’s the meat on the bone?

“The meat on the bone,” he continued, “exists with our takeaways. That has to improve. Our run-game consistency, our meat on the bone relative to a number of things that we won despite maybe — not being as good as others.”

That has quickly become the defining quote of Denver’s offseason, for better or worse. Despite Payton’s acknowledgement that the Broncos couldn’t simply stand pat, they have simply … stood pat. In fact, they’ve only lost production. Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, who was everything from a key pass-rusher to a behind-the-scenes mentor, left for a monster three-year, $63 million deal with Tennessee. Backup safety P.J. Locke went to Dallas. Denver cut linebacker Dre Greenlaw to save cap room.

There are a few explanations for this confusing puzzle. Piece together hints from across the past year, and Payton and general manager George Paton are clearly focused on development from young, cheap talent under a new-look staff. That starts, of course, with a continued third-year leap from quarterback Bo Nix.

Payton made it clear at the combine that Nix wasn’t a factor in the decision to pass play-calling duties to Webb; people close to Nix, though, have told The Post that Nix was generally supportive of the move.

“There’s certainly things we want to be better at,” Payton said at the combine, speaking on Denver’s offensive operation. “But it����ap also being quicker. And look, it����ap only if there’s someone that you feel like is good enough to do that, and (Webb) will have that opportunity.”

The Broncos are also plenty high on their young receiving corps of Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr. and Pat Bryant, with the potential to hand-pick another weapon come April: Indiana star Omar Cooper Jr. visited Denver for a pre-draft visit on Friday. Rising second-year back RJ Harvey will have every opportunity to show he can improve as a runner from an equally dynamic and shaky rookie season. 2025 third-round pick Sai’vion Jones, who received just 39 snaps in the middle of a logjam in his rookie year, could also make a push in training camp for Franklin-Myers’ role on the defensive line.

Denver has room for growth in its tight-end crop, too, despite preserving a middle-of-the-road group for 2025. Veteran Evan Engram is tight with Webb dating back to their shared playing days in New York, and Engram had a 58-yard catch-and-run in Webb’s preseason play-calling showcase against the Cardinals in August. 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner, meanwhile — a raw big body who spent his rookie year on the practice squad — is training in Texas this offseason with former Packers Pro Bowl receiver Donald Driver, Lohner’s uncle Mike told The Post.

Another possible hidden wrinkle to Denver’s offseason: the 2027 draft is already generating substantial buzz in the NFL. The Broncos will likely receive a fourth-round compensation pick in ’27 with Franklin-Myers’ departure, which becomes particularly valuable given the strength of next year’s class. This would not be a foreign strategy.

The Jaguars, who’ve also been notably quiet in free agency, have let star running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd walk specifically to acquire 2027 draft capital.

“I think on its surface, you would think, ‘Oh, OK, you’re going to make picks in 2027,'” Jacksonville . “Whereas, in reality, those draft picks and having more of ’em actually allows you the luxury of remaining in the hunt at different intervals throughout the entire calendar year, for acquiring players.”

Cap considerations

The Post sourced 10 different NFL agents for their thoughts on Denver’s lack of activity early in free agency. The clear consensus from those sitting across the table: the Broncos haven’t taken a bad approach, given they were a Bo Nix fractured ankle and an AFC title game winter wonderland away from a Super Bowl appearance.

“They had a great season,” one agent texted. “It makes sense to me to build off of what you already have.”

“Why would you not bring that entire team back (?)” another agent texted. “Good chance they win it all if no Injury (sic) and maybe even just if no blizzard.”

“It is odd,” another agent mused. “They probably see it, like — it’s not worth overspending on anybody.”

That point is key. Two NFL sources who spoke with Denver earlier in the week told The Post that the Broncos weren’t willing to spend more than $10 million per year at running back and $6 million per year at tight end. That ruled out the dynamic Etienne, who signed for four years and $52 million with New Orleans. That also ruled out Chig Okonkwo — a skilled tight end the Broncos called about, according to a source — who ended up signing for three years and $30 million with the Commanders.

That’s not stinginess for the sake of stinginess. At his end-of-season presser, Payton likened the Broncos’ financial freedom from Russell Wilson’s contract to renovating one’s house.

“If I said I’m going to give you $50,000 to decorate your home, or $200,000, your home’s going to look nicer, I think, if you’re a decent shopper,” Payton said.

Denver, though, really has closer to $50,000.

Much of the Broncos’ cap room has already been gobbled up by a rollicking run of long-term extensions across the past year, locking in core pieces from Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto to Luke Wattenberg and Malcolm Roach. The Broncos really haven’t had much to spend after extensions for Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Dobbins and Trautman — and need to keep an eye towards possible in-season extensions for key players like Mims, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillian.

The Broncos, too, may have to consider future renegotiations with All-Pros Pat Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz, who Denver extended at such bargains in 2024 that both are now making well below their market value. Surtain’s now the fifth-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL via average salary, and Meinerz .

The draft and the trade market still beckon, and Paton and Denver’s front office head into April with enviable capital: nine total picks, after being awarded two seventh-round compensatory picks for losing free agents in the 2025 offseason. There’s still time, as owner Greg Penner said in late January, for the Broncos to be “opportunistically aggressive.”

Thus far, though, Denver’s been all opportunistic and hardly aggressive.

In his coaching education, Sean Payton had always been taught — as he’s said multiple times during the past year — that a team’s offensive line “permeates the building.” But even in 2022, before Payton arrived, the Broncos’ front office was set on rebuilding through their offensive front, as former assistant general manager Mougey told The Denver Post in Indianapolis last week. It was no coincidence in 2023 that Denver immediately shelled out for two of the top names on the offensive-line market: Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers received two of the largest four OL deals in 2023’s free agency. Never mind the looming albatross of Russell Wilson’s cap hit.

“Getting McGlinchey and Powers, and keeping the continuity there on the offensive line, and then starting to build that defensive line — I think that’s been a big part of their success,” now-Jets general manager Mougey said, “that maybe people talk about, maybe they don’t, I don’t know.”

Entering Year Three of an ascension around quarterback Bo Nix, the Broncos still haven’t budged on that offensive-line continuity, even as individual pieces of that front age. On Wednesday, a source told The Post that they suspected Denver was shopping the 29-year-old Powers on the trade market, as the Broncos hadn’t put a proposal to restructure his contract in front of the offensive lineman despite a sizeable $18.2 million cap hit in 2026. On Thursday night, though, Denver got back to Powers and let him know they had no plans to move him or touch his contract, sources said.

That’ll mean the Broncos will likely head into 2026 with a third straight season of the Garett Bolles-Powers-Luke Wattenberg-Quinn Meinerz-McGlinchey starting unit on the offensive front, a rare development in the modern NFL. That’s valuable inside Denver’s building, especially for third-year Nix’s continued development, and is the reason Denver hasn’t cut Powers (which would save $8.4 million).

“It’s hard to find those type of players in free agency every year, or without paying a hefty fee,” Payton said in late November. “So, keeping that continuity, I think, is important.”

In due time, though, offensive-line coach Zach Strief’s room will undertake a necessary changing of the guard. It, perhaps, has already begun. Denver re-upped on a two-year deal Thursday with versatile reserve Alex Palczewski, who started 10 games in place of Powers as the veteran guard recovered from a bicep tear in 2025. There’s a definite possibility the 26-year-old Palczewski pushes Powers for his starting left-guard spot in 2026.

The Broncos will have to take a hard look, too, at replenishing their offensive-line depth this offseason to grow more Palczewski-types. Denver could save over $37 million in cap room by cutting or moving 31-year-old right tackle McGlinchey and left tackle Bolles, as creating room on their payroll becomes increasingly important in the years before a potentially massive extension for Nix after the 2027 season. Powers, of course, will hit free agency after this season.

And Payton may have dropped a hint as to the Broncos’ plans this April at that spot, speaking at the NFL Combine.

“Historically speaking, for me, we’ve always invested maybe early draft capital for that position,” Payton said. “It����ap hard to find those guys and the defensive linemen in free agency, this time of the year. There are certain positions that are abundant, but that����ap one that����ap tough.”

Historically speaking, then, Denver’s due to invest in the offensive line this draft. The Broncos have taken two offensive linemen — Alex Forsyth and Nick Gargiulo — in Payton’s three drafts in Denver, and never used more than a seventh-round pick on their front.

The Broncos are high on rising third-year tackle Frank Crum, who filled in capably in spot snaps in 2025 when McGlinchey was temporarily banged up. At present, though, Denver will enter training camp in 2026 with futures signee Nash Jones as the only offensive lineman on the roster who will be younger than 26 years old. That’s a potential issue.

To wit, there’s a host of intriguing, athletic options that’ll be on the board for the Broncos in this 2026 draft, sitting at the back of Rounds 1-3 and with two picks in Round 4. Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor ran an impressive 4.91-second 40-yard-dash at the combine in Indianapolis, and could be an early-round fit as a toolsy, developmental tackle. Look at Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer or Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis as intriguing Day 2 options, too, who could be impact run-blockers in Denver’s outside-zone schemes.

Payton said at the combine, too, that his offseason must-haves were the “same every year” — but noted that “you want to make sure you’re looking closely at your offensive line.” And if the Broncos want to extend their Super Bowl window, they’ll need to soon find fresh young talent to sit in the wings behind a stable front.

Notes

No-brainer returners. The Broncos are bringing back exclusive-rights free agents Devon Key, Dondrea Tillman, Tyler Badie and Jordan Jackson, a source confirmed to The Post Thursday. All will receive one-year deals at the league minimum, making for some obvious decisions for Denver. Safety Key was an All-Pro special-teamer in 2025, and Tillman was a key member of their outside-linebacker rotation for a second consecutive year.

Badie, meanwhile, wasn’t a popular man in ����apountry after dropping four passes in 2025, but was excellent as a pass-blocker as Denver’s third-down back in 2025. Jackson, an Air Force product, has provided rotational defensive-line depth for the Broncos for the last two seasons.

A first top-30 visit. Denver hosted Mizzou defensive lineman Chris McClellan for a pre-draft 30 visit on Friday, a source told The Post. McLellan posted a picture inside the Broncos’ facility to his Instagram story. He’d be an interesting young piece to add to a room set to lose John Franklin-Myers. The 6-foot-4, 313-pound McLellan had six sacks and eight tackles for loss for Mizzou last year.

The thing about windows, though, is that they close. Denver has two more seasons before it has to start thinking about a massive extension for quarterback Bo Nix, which will put considerable strain on their long-term cap. It’s no secret. The world knows it. Those inside the Broncos’ facility know it. Their time to strike is now, heading into 2026 free agency with roughly $28 million in current cap room — — and plenty of levers to pull to create more space and throw money around in the market.

It’s also no secret that the Broncos need more skill talent. They need to add a running back, tight end, and potentially wide receiver. They need a linebacker either in free agency or the draft, and quietly have some options at safety. In January, owner Greg Penner described Denver’s approach with a phrase that’ll come to define this offseason, whatever size of swing the front office takes: “We’ll be opportunistically aggressive.”

The legal tampering period of free agency, when teams can officially make contact with players and agents, begins at 10:00 a.m. MT Monday. New contracts can officially be signed come 2:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday. Here’s The Denver Post’s position-by-position Broncos guide to 2026 free agency, informed via numerous conversations with NFL agents and sources across the past two weeks.

Quarterback

Who Denver has: QB1 Bo Nix, QB2 Jarrett Stidham

Who Denver could lose: QB3 Sam Ehlinger

What Denver needs: Another QB in the room, and to re-sign Ehlinger

Key market options (former team in parenthesis): Zach Wilson (Dolphins), Sam Howell (Eagles), Teddy Bridgewater (Buccaneers)

This will depend entirely on whether the Broncos actually shop Stidham, and potentially save themselves $6.5 million in corresponding cap room. If they trade Stidham to a quarterback-needy team for some draft capital, Denver could easily look to re-sign Ehlinger and promote him to Nix’s official backup, after Ehlinger stuck to Davis Webb’s hip in 2025. The Broncos would clearly need another name to push Ehlinger in such a circumstance, though.

If that wouldn’t be a young draft pick, the Broncos could look to bring back Zach Wilson, who was part of a tight-knit group with Nix and Stidham in Denver in 2024. Paton also did plenty of work on longtime backup Howell in the 2022 draft, and former Bronco Bridgewater was Sean Payton’s trusted backup in New Orleans in 2018 and 2019.

Running back

Who Denver has: RB1/RB2 RJ Harvey, RB3 Tyler Badie (likely to sign ERFA deal)

Who Denver could lose: RB1/RB2 J.K. Dobbins, RB4 Jaleel McLaughlin

What Denver needs: A true RB1 or Harvey complement, and depth

Key market options: Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars), Rico Dowdle (Panthers), Tyler Allgeier (Falcons), Kenneth Gainwell (Steelers), Emanuel Wilson (Packers)

Here’s the spot that’ll draw the most buzz next week. The Broncos have already been connected to some of the top names on the market, clearly needing an upgrade in the room even if Denver brings back Dobbins on the cheap; the oft-injured veteran simply can’t be relied upon to play a full season. The Seahawks elected not to give Walker a one-year, $14 million franchise tag after a Super Bowl MVP, and the star RB could easily command upwards of $12 to $14 million on the market.

Would Denver swing on that price, though? Walker wasn’t good in pass protection last year (two sacks and nine pressures in 51 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF), and the Broncos need a third-down back whom Nix trusts. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Etienne is a highly intriguing fit for Denver, a bigger back who’s dynamic in the passing game (six receiving touchdowns in 2025). The 25-year-old Allgeier is a power back without excessive tread on the tires who could be available at a lower price, but expect Denver to look elsewhere.

Don’t be surprised if the Broncos walk away with Dobbins, Harvey and a supplemental piece instead of swinging big here. Wilson is an interesting name, a 226-pound RB who ran for 496 yards in Green Bay last season.

Wide receiver

Who Denver has: WR1 Courtland Sutton, WR2 Troy Franklin, WR3 Pat Bryant, WR4 Marvin Mims Jr.

Who Denver could lose: WR5 Lil’Jordan Humphrey

What Denver needs: A high-upside complement to Sutton, or at least another trustworthy WR4/5 option

Key market options: Alec Pierce (Colts), Jauan Jennings (49ers), Wan’Dale Robinson (Giants), Rashid Shaheed (Seahawks), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Stefon Diggs (Patriots), Romeo Doubs (Packers), Jahan Dotson (Eagles), Jalen Nailor (Vikings)

The Broncos like their current receiver room. The Paton-Payton braintrust has made that clear this entire offseason, and their firing of receivers coach Keary Colbert and hire of longtime Payton associate Ronald Curry signal that Denver believes in unlocking the potential of its current group rather than needing a drastic personnel overhaul. That being said, they need to add a piece here, whether in free agency or via a deep draft class.

Pierce is the true difference-maker on the market. There are few in the NFL like him, a 6-foot-3 deep-ball extraordinaire who racked up 1,003 yards last year on 21.3 yards per catch. Denver got an up-close look at him in a Week 2 loss to Indianapolis. But one agent The Post spoke with pinpointed Pierce’s likely market value at $27 to $30 million, which would be a steep price for a team already giving Sutton $23 million yearly. Don’t expect Denver to get into a bidding war for him.

The rest of the market is somewhat iffy. Jennings has the frame (6-foot-3), blocking prowess and red-zone ability (nine TDs in 2025) that Payton would love. Robinson will likely land somewhere in the $10 to $15 million range, and would bring a high-volume slot weapon that Denver doesn’t currently have.

Doubs is a definite potential fit for the Broncos here; Denver has interest in the former Green Bay receiver, an NFL source told The Post. He’s a big-bodied target who doesn’t demand the ball but has good red-zone production and can play in a variety of alignments. Keep an eye on Dotson as a potential depth piece, too, as Dotson’s agency CAA also represents Nix. He’s a former 2022 first-round pick whose production stalled out in Philadelphia, but he can block, play from the slot and hasn’t dropped a pass since 2023.

Tight end

Who Denver has: TE1/TE2 Evan Engram

Who Denver could lose: TE1/TE2 Adam Trautman, TE3 Nate Adkins, TE4 Lucas Krull

What Denver needs: A legitimate in-line TE who can complement Engram as a pass-catcher, and stay on the field on any down

Key market options: David Njoku (Browns), Isaiah Likely (Ravens), Cade Otton (Buccaneers), Chig Okonkwo (Titans), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Daniel Bellinger (Giants), Charlie Kolar (Ravens)

Denver can’t simply run it back from 2025 and expect better production from Engram, who caught 50 passes for 461 yards in 2025, under new play-caller Davis Webb. The Broncos need a versatile weapon whom they trust as both a blocker and a matchup-threat receiver. Otton might just be that guy: he played in-line (attached to the offensive tackle) on nearly half his snaps in Tampa Bay in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus, and has caught 59 passes in each of the last two seasons.

Otton’s yearly value has been pinpointed in NFL circles somewhere around Jake Ferguson’s four-year, $50 million extension with Dallas in 2025. If Denver wants to spend at TE, he and Likely would be the most well-rounded options on the Market. Njoku and Goedert are likely past their primes, and Okonkwo’s not a blocker.

Bellinger had 88 yards and a touchdown for the Giants against Denver in Week 7, and is seeking $7 to $8 million yearly. Kolar is the most intriguing upside swing here, a 6-foot-6 blocker who was stuck behind multiple TEs in Baltimore in the receiving game.

Offensive line

Who Denver has: LT1 Garett Bolles, LG1 Ben Powers, C1 Luke Wattenberg, RG1 Quinn Meinerz, RT1 Mike McGlinchey, OL2 Alex Palczewski, OT2 Matt Peart, OT2 Frank Crum, C2 Alex Forsyth

Who Denver could lose: Nobody

What Denver needs: Maybe another swing tackle

Key market options: Wide-open

Denver doesn’t need to spend here, with its current starting offensive line set again for 2026. The Broncos could always look to cut or deal Powers to create cap room and have a ready successor in Alex Palczewski, whom they inked to a two-year extension Thursday. It’s more likely they look to the draft to bolster depth here, although they could certainly cut Peart to save over $3 million in cap room and target another backup tackle in free agency. Players like former Vikings veteran Justin Skule or Seahawks backup Josh Jones could be good value there.

Defensive line

Who Denver has: DE1 Zach Allen, NT1 D.J. Jones, OLB1 Nik Bonitto, OLB2 Jonathon Cooper, DE/DT2 Eyioma Uwazurike, DT2 Malcolm Roach, OLB2 Jonah Elliss, OLB2 Dondrea Tillman (likely to sign ERFA deal), OLB3 Que Robinson, DE/DT3 Sai’vion Jones

Who Denver could lose: DE1 John Franklin-Myers, DE/DT3 Jordan Jackson

What Denver needs: A cheap, productive interior defensive lineman to push Uwazurike, Roach and Jones

Key market options: Logan Hall (Buccaneers), David Onyemata (Falcons), Calais Campbell (Cardinals), Sebastian Joseph-Day (Titans), Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Giants)

The Broncos already have massive amounts of money tied up in their defensive line, and Franklin-Myers is already all but gone. His likely landing spot is Tennessee, where recently-acquired defensive end The thinking from agents who spoke with The Post is that Denver could bring in depth to help supplant Franklin-Myers, but will likely rely on its pieces already in the building to fill the void.

Ironically, the Broncos’ movements in the defensive-line market will depend on Franklin-Myers’ own movements. Agents are completely across the board on projecting Franklin-Myers’ yearly value in a weak class; one suggested $12 to $14 million, one suggested $16 to $18 million, and one went as high as $20 to $22 million. If teams end up bidding closer to that higher end, it could price the Broncos out of what they’d be willing to spend for another body in the room. Onyemata, Joseph-Day and Nunez-Roches could all offer cheap, veteran depth.

Inside linebacker

Who Denver has: LB1 Dre Greenlaw, LB2/LB3 Karene Reid, LB2/LB3 Jordan Turner, LB2/LB3 Levelle Bailey, LB2/LB3 Drew Sanders

Who Denver could lose: LB1 Alex Singleton, LB1/LB2 Justin Strnad

What Denver needs: An instant-impact starter, or at the very least a high-end LB3.

Key market options: Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Nakobe Dean (Eagles), Quay Walker (Packers), Quincy Williams (Jets), Kaden Elliss (Falcons), Alex Anzalone (Lions), E.J. Speed (Texans), Bobby Okereke (Giants)

It’s a great year to need a middle linebacker. Denver could certainly look to a strong draft class to address this spot. But an NFL source who met with Denver at last week’s NFL Combine told The Post that the Broncos will have a “significant appetite” in the free-agent linebacker market.

That could mean they’ll take a monster swing on Lloyd, a 2025 All-Pro and the kind of playmaker that Vance Joseph would have a field day with in the middle of Denver’s defense. It could also mean they’ll re-sign Singleton as their green-dot defensive leader — he’s been pinpointed by multiple NFL sources at somewhere between $5 to $8 million yearly — and add another piece to compete for a starting job. Strnad is likely headed for new pastures, as he told The Post after the season he wouldn’t be back in Denver unless it was in a clear starting role.

The Broncos have interest in Anzalone and Speed, sources said, both potential green-dot options or LB3 pieces who will come in below the top of the market, where NFL sources pinpointed Lloyd likely to come in between $15 and $17 million annually. Dean is another interesting and versatile option who told The Post at the Super Bowl he likes watching the Broncos’ defense and would be interested in Denver in free agency if the price was right.

Secondary

Who Denver has: CB1 Pat Surtain II, CB1 Riley Moss, NB1 Ja’Quan McMillian, NB2/CB2 Jahdae Barron, CB2 Kris Abrams-Draine, S1 Talanoa Hufanga, S1 Brandon Jones, S2 Devon Key (likely to sign ERFA deal), S2 JL Skinner

Who Denver could lose: S2 P.J. Locke

What Denver needs: A third safety to replace Locke and potentially push Jones

Key market options: Tony Adams (Jets), Dane Belton (Giants), Kyle Dugger (Steelers), Andrew Wingard (Jaguars), Alohi Gilman (Ravens), Ifeatu Melifonwu (Dolphins), D’Anthony Bell (Panthers), Rodney Thomas II (Colts)

A notable Broncos development to track in free agency: Denver has expressed interest in adding a safety, several NFL sources told The Post this week. Locke is likely headed elsewhere after a nice fill-in stretch for the injured Jones late in 2025, and the Broncos want to add another piece to replace him, as Hufanga and Jones are both injury risks. Wingard is a name to watch here, a seven-year Jaguars veteran who recorded 84 tackles and nine passes defensed as a full-time starter in 2025.

The Broncos also did work on Melifonwu in last year’s free agency, and Denver tracked Bell’s status on the waiver wire as the Seahawks pulled him between the practice squad and active roster in 2025, sources said. At the very least, expect Denver to sign a depth safety who can also be a special-teams contributor.

Special teams

Who Denver has: K1 Wil Lutz, P1 Jeremy Crawshaw, LS1 Mitchell Fraboni

Who Denver could lose: Nobody

What Denver needs: Nothing

Key market options: Wide open

Denver need not spend much time here on specialists.

There is always some refurbishing and refreshing to do, however.

Head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton, in the past month, have each expressed confidence in Denver’s roster and also acknowledged that there are areas in need of upgrade.

The Broncos must find more offensive playmaking. They must fill some gaps at linebacker, running back and tight end.

That quest starts in earnest this week, as Denver considers whether to push to retain any of its impending free agents and then hits the legal tampering period with all free agents beginning Monday.

As an organization, the Broncos boast the best salary cap health they’ve had in years. Russell Wilson is finally, officially off their books when the 2026 league year begins on March 11.

Denver as of Thursday sports just $1.2 million in dead salary cap, the third-lowest mark in the NFL after Chicago traded receiver D.J. Moore to Buffalo.

Payton pointed to that reality after the season when asked about Denver’s ability to improve this offseason.

“If I said I’m going to give you $50,000 to decorate your home or $200,000, your home’s going to look nicer, I think, if you’re a decent shopper, if you have more money.

“The same takes place with our sport.”

Denver’s basically debt-free, but the club has also already spent some of its decorating money.

In fact, last year the Broncos went into free agency with about $40 million in cap space. They could do so again this season by moving money around, restructuring a couple of contracts and perhaps cutting a player or two — some of that kind of work is expected in the coming days — but at the moment they’re sitting at around $21 million in space, according to OvertheCap data.

The Broncos have been on a big run over the past 18 months, rewarding 10 of their own players with long-term deals. They got a jump on free agency, in a way, over their bye week last fall by getting deals done with a trio of impending free agents in C Luke Wattenberg, DL Malcolm Roach and K Wil Lutz.

“Just think if we didn’t get those guys wrapped up, what we’d be facing,” Paton said last month at the NFL Combine. “Every offseason is a little bit of, ‘Wow, how are we going to feed…’ But if we didn’t have all those guys done, just think of how much more daunting the offseason would be. It����ap really important to get ahead of it.”

Then Denver used another $5.8 million in space to place a second-round restricted free agency tender on nickel Ja’Quan McMillian, though that number would change if Denver works out a long-term deal with him in the coming months. The Broncos also agreed to a two-year, $9.5 million deal with Alex Palczewski on Thursday and they’ll need about $4 million in space for their draft class next month, based on their current selections.

With those numbers in mind, here is a non-exhaustive list of players the Broncos could look to if they’re trying to create more cap space.

Cut/restructure candidates

OL Ben Powers

ILB Dre Greenlaw

Greenlaw signed a three-year deal last spring, but it was essentially one year, $11.5 million and we’ll see. Now, we’re about to see. Greenlaw played well when he was on the field, but staying on the field was an issue. Cutting the linebacker would save $6 million on the cap and incur $4.33 million in dead cap. It����ap really just a matter of if the Broncos want him back on the roster in 2026.

TE Evan Engram

Engram’s deal was a two-year pact last spring, but it came with stronger guarantees than Greenlaw’s. Cutting the veteran would save $3.8 million on the cap but incur $10.33 million in dead cap. Certainly not impossible for Denver to swallow, but it also doesn’t make much sense unless the Broncos really think his skills are diminished or they have a ready-made replacement. At the moment, they do not.

OL Matt Peart

A fairly straightforward one here. Peart was signed last spring as a swing tackle, but Palczewski and Frank Crum both showed signs of promise during the season after Peart tore his MCL in Week 6 in London. Denver can save $3.225 million and take $750,000 in dead cap by releasing him.

Extension candidates

S Brandon Jones

Jones is entering the final of a three-year, $20 million deal that����ap been a bargain for the Broncos. He did miss the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs with a torn pectoral, but he’s been a high-quality player for Denver. Jones carries a $9.243 cap number into 2026, which could be dropped substantially with an extension. If the Broncos want to explore other safety options on the market or think they’ve seen Jones’ best ball, they could save $7.41 million and take $1.83 million dead by cutting him.

WR Marvin Mims

Mims is entering the final year of his rookie deal and carries a $6.12 million cap number. That����ap not huge, obviously, but an extension would likely bring it down some. Payton’s talked about finding more touches for Mims, but part of the challenge in an extension is the sides agreeing on appropriate value given Mims’ on-again, off-again usage so far and his terrific return ability. Perhaps a mid-season revisit makes more sense.

Hold the line

RT Mike McGlinchey

The Broncos have Palczewski under contract for two years after Thursday’s agreement, but they’re not likely to cut McGlinchey and incur $15.325 million in dead cap along with $8.45 million in cap savings. Especially after McGlinchey played arguably his best football in 2025. In fact, a short extension might feel tempting because of the quality of play and the potential to lop $10 million or more off the 2026 cap. The prudent move, though, is to get through the upcoming season with McGlinchey at his current, team-high $23.775 million cap charge and decide what the future at right tackle looks like from there.

That was the last time these Broncos made a significant trade, with no in-season deals coming last season. As Denver approaches free agency with quite a few position groups already tied up for 2026, though, that surplus could come into play again for Paton and crew.

The Broncos have several assets at a variety of spots who’d present tantalizing value league-wide, and making a move could help clear up further spending power once free agency hits next week. The club currently sits with about $28 million in estimated cap space. Here are five potential trade chips that Denver could look to dangle on the phones.

Jarrett Stidham, QB

2025 stats: One playoff start, 17-of-31, 133 passing yards, one TD, one INT

Contract status: Expires after 2026

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading him before June: $6.5 million

Denver will always be Stiddy City for that week in January. Faced with no other choice, the entirety of the Broncos’ fanbase rallied around their cucumber-cool backup quarterback in the AFC Championship Game after Bo Nix’s stunning season-ending injury. The building believed in Stidham, too. He just never quite got a fair shot. A highlight 52-yard bomb to Marvin Mims Jr. against the Patriots was mitigated by a disastrous fumble and a second-half snowstorm.

The Broncos have prioritized Stidham since head coach Sean Payton arrived in 2023, and Stidham has signed two separate two-year deals to stay in Denver as a backup. But NFL teams have poked around Stidham for years — the Patriots, in fact, checked on him before Stidham re-signed in Denver last offseason — and that teams have reached out to the Broncos on a possible Stidham trade.

Payton has said multiple times he feels Stidham could be a starter for several NFL teams; if there is indeed a team that views him that highly on the market, the Broncos could recoup a significant haul for him. This particular NFL Draft class is remarkably light at quarterback, which could further drive up Stidham’s value. Denver would be smart to at least entertain this, if it had a plan to replace Stidham (the Broncos could always look to re-sign QB3 Sam Ehlinger).

Ben Powers, LG

2025 stats: Eight games, 595 snaps, 15 pressures allowed, 2.5% pressure rate, 0 sacks allowed (per Pro Football Focus)

Contract status: Expires after 2026

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading him before June: $8.4 million

Denver has employed the same starting offensive line for two years in front of Nix, but 2026 could mark a significant shakeup. The 29-year-old Powers is still a valuable asset and was quietly off to one of the best starts of his career in 2025 before a lengthy absence with a biceps tear. But the Broncos now have close to $76 million in total cap tied up to their starting offensive line alone, and all five of Powers, Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Luke Wattenberg and Quinn Meinerz are tethered to substantial long-term deals.

The Broncos have to get cheaper here, at some point. And Denver indeed has a younger, cheaper option in 26-year-old restricted free agent Alex Palczewski, who filled in capably for Powers for 10 starts in 2025 (and earned a random All-Pro vote for it). The Broncos could slap a right-of-first-refusal tender on Palczewski, a one-year deal worth $3.5 million that would enable Denver to match any team’s offer for him, and work toward a team-friendly long-term deal in the meantime.

Powers’ representation met with Denver last week, but the two sides haven’t spoken since, as of Wednesday. A source said they believe Denver could be pursuing trade partners for Powers. The Broncos also haven’t officially put forth a proposal to restructure Powers’ deal, the source said.

Jonah Elliss, OLB

2025 stats: 13 games, 2.5 sacks, 28 tackles, five QB hits, one forced fumble

Contract status: Expires after 2027

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading him before June: $1.1 million

This is much less about any financial benefit and more about surplus. Denver is so stacked at outside linebacker that it had to finagle several elevations for fourth-round rookie Que Robinson last year as a fifth OLB on gamedays, and the building is high on Robinson’s potential. The Broncos will almost certainly re-up with reserve Dondrea Tillman on a one-year exclusive-rights deal, and will face the same logjam of depth in 2026.

The interesting name in the mix is Elliss, a 22-year-old 2023 third-round pick who’s flashed big-time pass-rush potential when healthy but has been banged up through his two years in Denver. There’s no greater path to snaps for him behind Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. The Broncos could well look to shift Elliss to inside linebacker, given positional needs, or dangle him as a promising edge rusher with two years left on his rookie deal.

Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian, CB

2025 stats: Moss: 17 games, 80 tackles, 19 passes defensed, one interception; McMillian: 17 games, 56 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, nine passes defensed

Contract status: Both expire after 2026

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading them before June: $3.7 million (Moss), specifics unclear (McMillian)

The NFL world now has a point-blank baseline on the trade value of quality corners, after the Rams gave up several arms and legs on Wednesday to swing a trade for Chiefs All-Pro Trent McDuffie.

Yes, neither Moss or McMillian have nearly the resume to draw similar capital as McDuffie got. But Kansas City received a first-round pick, a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft for McDuffie — and a third-round pick in 2027. The Broncos love having a variety of options to develop at cornerback, but they’ll soon have to make some complicated decisions in their secondary. Moss and McMillian will both hit unrestricted free agency after 2026, and the Broncos wouldn’t love first-round pick Jahdae Barron to sit behind both of them for a second straight season.

This isn’t a likely option. Moss’s camp strongly believes he’ll be back in Denver in 2026, and McMillian is an incredibly valuable asset as the starting nickel in Vance Joseph’s defense. But a route will need to be paved for Barron soon enough.

They won 15 games. They reached the AFC Championship in their second-straight playoff appearance. And their roster cements them as an annual contender, faster than anyone thought possible.

Which makes it obvious which big move should happen next.

Give general manager George Paton a contract extension.

You haven’t always liked him. You still might not like him. And if you bought a Russell Wilson jersey, you may never like him.

Too bad. He’s really good.

And, it is time for co-owner and CEO Greg Penner to reward him.

“It is overdue,” coach Sean Payton explained Tuesday. “It will get done.”

Paton is set to enter the last season of a six-year contract. Are the Broncos really going to let the man who drafted the Oregon Duck quarterback enter 2026 as a lame duck?

Penner is too smart for this. The parties have talked. There is no concern that it won’t get worked out. And it should. For several reasons.

Though he is not looking for credit, a new deal validates the vision Penner had for Paton. The GM has evolved, improved from the owner challenging him.

When people ask what’s the rush or are curious why Paton is in line for another payday, they bring up Nathaniel Hackett and Wilson. Paton hired the failed coach, acquired the failed quarterback and ultimately paid Wilson $121 million for two seasons.

He got it so wrong we all assumed — myself included — that Paton would be fired after the Walton-Penner group no longer needed his expertise to navigate a coaching search. Or that Payton would bring in somebody he knew from New Orleans.

Instead, Penner gave Paton a second chance, exercised patience, creating a triangle of leadership. Paton and Payton report to him and have flourished working together.

They watch more film together than Siskel and Ebert. Paton creates equilibrium. He is measured. Payton, especially on game day or when forced to listen to jazz music in San Jose, is nuclear.

The partnership is “very complementary,” as Penner put it. And there’s more depth to Paton that most realize. Under Penner, he has become better at the manager part of his role. He holds people accountable, and not surprisingly, it has helped the Broncos rebound.

Don’t believe it?

These numbers should change your mind. Over the past five years, Paton has secured second contracts with five players he drafted: All-Pros Pat Surtain, Quinn Meinerz and Nik Bonitto and starters Jonathon Cooper and Luke Wattenberg. Bo Nix is on track to become the sixth after next season.

John Elway signed three players to contract extensions in the previous 10 years — Von Miller, Derek Wolfe and Garett Bolles. A fourth, Courtland Sutton, agreed to a new deal under Paton in 2021.

Paton has found his groove, a point driven home when wandering through the Indiana Convention Center, where so much talk focuses on misses, whiffs and busts.

That is why Elway hired him. Paton had a track record for acing the draft and keeping homegrown prospects in the fold.

There is no question that Penner appreciates what Paton has done. He admitted as much when I asked him a few weeks ago, saying, “We’d love to have both (Paton and Payton) here long-term.”

Penner trusts Payton. They can have open, honest conversations.

So why make him wait any longer?

Finding a date to talk with Paton’s representative, who has been busy with coaching contracts, appears to be the biggest obstacle. That is a wrinkle that is easily ironed out.

In a sport where continuity and stability pay dividends, Paton shifted perceptions this season.

The Broncos won their first division title and playoff game in a decade. That does not happen without a balanced roster, one that produced victories even when Surtain and starting running back J.K. Dobbins were sidelined.

Seriously, how many teams are deeper than the Broncos right now?

It is a testament to Paton that his process withstood failure. With ownership in flux and feuding under the Bowlen family, Paton took his shot with Hackett and Wilson. He missed. And admits it.

But instead of waiting for a pink slip, he rolled up his sleeves. While critics believe Payton runs the draft, that thinking misses clear facts. Like the 2021 class.

This group has helped form the foundation of this team. And with Payton clear on what he wants from players as competitors and learners, Paton has become even better at identifying fits.

This is not just a football story. In a transactional business, Paton excels at relationships.

It is not just how he does his job, but who he is. He holds people accountable, but treats them well. His confidence has been built over decades of hard work. During his first combines, he ran errands and kept the suite stocked with snacks.

He has never lost his love for the game or forgotten his roots. He treats people the way he wants to be treated. It inspires fierce loyalty and helps those around him reach their potential.

You don’t think relationships matter? Paton has signed 11 players to contract extensions since July 2024 for nearly half a billion dollars. Money is always the driving force, but so is the faith that players and agents have when Paton gives them his word.

Not surprisingly, he received an ‘A’ grade from the NFLPA players survey released Thursday.

The Broncos are back for a number of reasons. Most have become obvious during games with the man on the headset and the improved talent on the field.

Whatever the terms of his contract, Paton has certainly outperformed them.

It is time, past time, for a new one.

“We go back to the start of the race,” Payton said at his end-of-season press conference. “Every 32 teams have to go back and go meet their parents, eat their oranges and get ready to start again.”

“I’d say we’ll be opportunistically aggressive,” Penner said Wednesday.

Before free agency hits in March and the NFL Draft rolls around in April, the organization has plenty of in-house decisions to make with expiring contracts and coaching moves.

Here’s The Denver Post’s complete guide to a key offseason for these Broncos.

Who are the Broncos’ unrestricted free agents?

The Broncos have 11 players whose contracts have expired and are set to hit free agency. Here’s a rundown with age, stats, and intel on their chances of landing back in Denver or elsewhere.

DL John Franklin-Myers (29)

2025 stats: 16 games, 7.5 sacks, 15 QB hits, 25 tackles

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��Denver has yet to approach Franklin-Myers on an extension, and doesn’t seem likely to start now. Franklin-Myers has anticipated since August that he’ll hit free agency and should be a top defensive-line option on the market. According to a source, Franklin-Myers’ camp is looking at the Miami Dolphins’ 2025 extension for Zach Sieler — three years, $64 million for a highly-productive 29-year-old defensive tackle — as a salary floor. The Broncos have already committed big money to their defensive line. Franklin-Myers is all but gone.

LB Alex Singleton (32)

2025 stats: 16 games, 135 tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��The NFL can be a cruel world. Singleton earned the Broncos’ 2025 Ed Block Courage Award — the team’s easiest decision of the season — after returning from a torn ACL in 2024 and then returning midseason from testicular cancer surgery. The veteran linebacker had arguably the best year of his career in 2025 and is still a downhill force in the run game and the play-caller of Denver’s defense. The Broncos, though, have yet to pay Singleton and could elect to bring in younger talent this offseason. This could depend if Vance Joseph is back as the defensive coordinator in 2026.

TE Adam Trautman (28)

2025 stats: 17 games, 20 catches, 195 yards, one TD

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��One of Payton’s favorites here. Trautman has pretty much put up the same stats for six years since beginning his career with Payton in New Orleans in 2020. He wants to be back in Denver and fills a key and trusted role in Payton’s system as a blocker.

S P.J. Locke (28)

2025 stats: 16 games, 16 tackles, 3 passes defended

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��After serving as a backup most of the year, veteran Locke stepped back into a starting role and was invaluable once safety Brandon Jones went down in December. Across five starts at safety across the regular season and playoffs, he allowed just five catches in 17 targets as the nearest defender in coverage, according to Next Gen Stats. There’s no easy path to a starting job with Talanoa Hufanga and Jones returning, and Locke’s likely to hit the open market.

LB Justin Strnad (29)

2025 stats: 16 games, 58 tackles, 4.5 sacks, eight QB hits

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��Strnad established himself as possibly the best linebacker on the Broncos’ roster in filling in for both Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton across the 2025 season. After two years in spot-starter duty, he’s now fully committed to looking for a starting job somewhere, as he told The Post this week. Will that be in Denver, though? The Broncos will have to clear a path for him to keep him.

RB J.K. Dobbins (27)

2025 stats: 10 games, 772 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, four total touchdowns

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��The Broncos’ most important skill piece of 2025 nearly made it back in three months from a Lisfranc injury in November. The issue: the running back has played just 47 of a possible 101 regular-season games in his six-year career. Dobbins was an invaluable piece of the team’s locker room, and the Broncos could look to bring him back as a veteran presence despite injury concerns. He went into last year’s offseason trying to bide his time until a team needed him in training camp, and he seems poised for the same position this offseason.

FB Michael Burton (33)

2025 stats: N/A (hamstring injury)

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��Payton’s trusty fullback signed back in 2025 but didn’t play a single game with a hamstring injury. Payton loyalists always have a place, but there’s no real reason for Denver to bring back Burton.

TE Marcedes Lewis (41)

2025 stats: 5 games, no catches, no yards

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��The Big Dog first has to decide if he’ll even continue playing in 2026. The Broncos brought in Lewis for his blocking and locker-room presence in 2025, but Lewis won’t be any kind of priority this offseason.

WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey (27)

2025 stats: 7 games, 9 catches, 101 yards, one touchdown

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��Humphrey signed back with Denver off the Giants’ practice squad midseason, and became an important receiver as Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin got banged up down the stretch. Payton loves Humphrey’s abilities as a blocker. His status will depend on whether another team shows enough interest to pull Humphrey away.

C Sam Mustipher (29)

2025 stats: 1 game

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��The Broncos brought in Mustipher late in the year after starter Luke Wattenberg went down, and Mustipher played some important late-season snaps. Again, not an immediate priority.

QB Sam Ehlinger (27)

2025 stats: N/A

���ܳٱ��Ǵǰ�:��Ehlinger became an important piece of a tight-knit Broncos QB room in 2025, and predictably never saw action behind Nix and Jarrett Stidham. He’ll likely try to follow quarterbacks coach Davis Webb wherever he goes.

Who are the Broncos’ restricted free agents?

CB Ja’Quan McMillian (25), OL Alex Palczewski (26), RB Jaleel McLaughlin (25), TE Nate Adkins (26), TE Lucas Krull (27), DL Matt Henningsen (26) 

The Broncos have an interesting group of restricted free agents. Remember, with restricted free agents, the team has three tender options — original draft round, second or first — that come with set salaries and give the team the right of first refusal to match any deal another team offers. If Denver doesn’t match, then the signing team must give the draft pick that aligns with the tender.

A first-round tender is a rarely used tool — more on that with McMillian below — though Payton’s Saints did use one with Taysom Hill in 2020 before signing him to a two-year extension in April of that year. Of Denver’s restricted free agents group, only Henningsen (2022 sixth round) was actually drafted, so the original-round tender is mostly out of the equation, too.

Every player in the group has had a role at some point in his career in Denver. So, interesting choices ahead and certainly some extension candidates in the group ranging from modest to blockbuster.

Who are the Broncos’ exclusive-rights free agents?

S Devon Key (27), OLB Dondrea Tillman (27), DL Jordan Jackson (27), RB Tyler Badie (25)

The exclusive rights group should be pretty straightforward. The team has the right to tender these players a one-year, league-minimum contract, which keeps them from negotiating with any other team. Key is a first-team All-Pro special teamer, Tillman is a regular in the OLB rotation, Badie was Denver’s third-down back and Jackson didn’t play a ton but only because of Denver’s terrific defensive line depth. They are all easy tender decisions. That doesn’t guarantee Badie will make the 2026 roster, but an initial tender makes sense.

Who are in-house candidates for contract extensions and restructures or potential cap casualties?

CB Ja’Quan McMillian

McMillian is a restricted free agent, so the Broncos could plop a prime tender on him — he’d be a guarantee for either the first or second-round tender and a bargain at either salary number, both of which will be below $8 million — but say the Broncos put a second-round tender on him. Another team might be willing to give up that pick to sign McMillian long-term. In that case, that other team is doing the Broncos’ negotiating for them and they’d have to match to keep McMillian.

Or, the sides could work out a long-term extension. McMillian, an undrafted free agent in 2022, has played his way to being among the best slot men in the game.

General manager George Paton wouldn’t say what Denver’s exact plan with McMillian is this offseason, but on Tuesday raved about his growth.

Really, the only complicating factor with McMillian has nothing to do with him. Denver drafted Jahdae Barron in the first round in April and also has depth outside behind Pat Surtain II in Riley Moss and Kris Abrams-Draine.

Moss is entering the final year of his rookie contract this fall, while Abrams-Draine has two years left on his.

One thing is certain: Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph considers McMillian an indispensable part of Denver’s defensive success over the past two years.

Veteran OL pair

Right tackle Mike McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers were among the first free agents signed after Payton was hired in 2023. Both are still playing at a high level. They also currently account for the highest and third-highest 2026 cap numbers on the roster, respectively, and neither has guaranteed money left on his deal. That makes them prime candidates to have their contracts touched in some way, whether it be an extension, reworking or cut.

The Broncos have restructured both deals in the past, ahead of the 2024 season, when they swallowed $53 million of Russell Wilson’s dead money, and weren’t bit by it because both have remained high-quality players.

McGlinchey played maybe the best football of his career. Powers missed two months with a torn bicep but returned down the stretch.

What����ap interesting is that Alex Palczewski could factor in with either. He was McGlinchey’s backup, but then jumped into the lineup when Powers got hurt and played well.

McGlinchey carries a $23.78 million cap number for 2026 and Powers is at $18.16 million.

Powers is a more likely cut candidate than McGlinchey in part because he’d save $8.38 million against the cap and incur $9.78 million in dead cap, a more balanced proposition than McGlinchey ($8.45 million saved, $15.33 million dead).

Both, though, have been considered key pieces to one of Denver’s best units.

Either could be a candidate for a short extension or perhaps a deal where some guarantees are installed in exchange for cap flexibility.

S Brandon Jones

The safety has been a steal since arriving on a three-year, $20 million deal ahead of the 2024 season. His 2025 was cut short by a pectoral injury that required surgery and now he heads into the final year of his contract with a $9.2 million cap hit and no guaranteed money.

Jones will be 28 when training camp starts and should have a lot of good football in front of him. An extension makes sense this offseason if the Broncos think they can fit it into their longer-range planning.

Expiring rookie contracts

A couple of key ones here in Moss ($3.85 million cap hit) and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. ($6.01 million). They’re each relatively modest cap numbers and Denver may well let both play out the 2026 season — or revisit on the bye week next year, as the club just did with Wattenberg in November. Still, they’re interesting players generally speaking and also contractually.

Underwhelming free agent signings

It would be going too far to call either tight end Evan Engram or inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw a bust, but neither veteran 2025 free agent signing had a big year in his first with the Broncos.

Engram had 40 catches and played just 42% of snaps. He’d never been under 67% play time in eight previous NFL seasons. Greenlaw dealt with multiple injuries from April through December, collected 43 tackles in eight games and acknowledged after the season that the transition to Denver from San Francisco was “tough.”

Each could well be back next year. Cutting Greenlaw would save $6.02 million on the cap and incur $4.33 million dead.

Engram is a steeper consideration. The Broncos could save $3.8 million but would incur $10.33 million dead. If they cut him and applied a post-June 1 designation, they could spread the hit out over two years, save $6.47 million on the 2026 cap and take $7.67 million of the dead cap hit in 2026.

How does the Broncos’ draft outlook shape up?

Denver could’ve certainly used Devaughn Vele in the AFC title game. But as they head into April, their preseason trade of Vele to New Orleans looks quite pretty. The Broncos picked up a key extra fourth-round pick in that trade, and now have significant capital for draft season. Here’s a current rundown of their expected picks:

1st round, pick No. 30

2nd round, pick No. 62

3rd round, pick No. 94

4th round, pick No. 108 (from Saints)

4th round, pick No. 130

5th round, pick No. 168

7th round, pick No. 246

The Broncos could also gain a couple more late-round comp picks for losing RB Javonte Williams and punter Riley Dixon in last year’s free agency.

“We have five picks in the first four rounds, and we could get two compensatory, which would give us nine,” general manager George Paton said Tuesday. “I always talk about flexibility. We’re going to have all sorts of flexibility.”

Where will they apply that flexibility? There’s a world of draft season left to unfold, but one thing is clear: this is a receiver-heavy draft class. NFL’s Daniel Jeremiah ranked 11 wideouts in his and the Broncos clearly need some pass-catching help. They could also look to bolster the interior defensive line (with Franklin-Myers’ expected departure), the offensive line (with some expensive veterans in Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers) and the linebacker room.

What are the Broncos’ staff needs, and expected changes?

Sean Payton appears to have a changing of the guard brewing in his offensive meeting room.

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi: Fired. Senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael: Off to Buffalo to be offensive coordinator there.

Let����ap take the offensive room first.

It����ap also probably worth pointing out that Payton brought former passing game coordinator John Morton back to consult for Denver’s playoff run after he was fired as Detroit����ap offensive coordinator.

Payton, regardless of how those top spots in the offensive meeting room shake out, will have different and likely younger voices around him.

On the defensive side, the Broncos appear poised to get coordinator Vance Joseph back. There surprisingly has been no landing spot for him among the 10 head coaching vacancies and the final two still open look ticketed elsewhere.