Let your eyes drift over the payroll for the Denver Broncos and ask yourself … what doesn’t look right?
You’ll see cornerback Patrick Surtain II getting big money — approximately $33.1 million in 2025 — and think maybe that’s just about right for the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
You’ll see second year quarterback Bo Nix making $1.6 million in 2025 and think that’s a tremendous deal if he levels up this year. You’ll see NFL All-Pro edge rusher Nik Bonitto at $5.3 million and think that’s a steal for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalist, who could be in line for close to a 9-figure contract extension sooner than later.
The point of this exercise? The Broncos don’t have a lot of terrible contracts on the books right now. That’s because they’ve had to be as careful as any team in the NFL with how they’ve spent money over the last few years — thanks to $85 million in dead cap money spread over 2024 and 2025 from the Russell Wilson contract.
One deal the Broncos need to get off the books after this season is offensive left guard Ben Powers, who signed a 4-year, $51.5 million free agent contract in March 2023. He will count for a staggering $17.425 million against the salary cap in 2025, which is the fourth biggest cap hit on the roster.
While Powers has started 34 consecutive games over the last 2 seasons, he’s never made a Pro Bowl in his career in 6 NFL seasons and earned a 63.9 overall grade from PFF in 2024. That put him 56th out of 138 eligible players at his position, even though he’s the No. 8 highest paid player at his position. That’s called being grossly overpaid.
Broncos Paying Too Much for Offensive Guards
The Broncos are paying a ridiculous amount of money for their 2 starting offensive guards — a combined $123.5 million between Powers and right guard Quinn Meinerz, who signed a 4-year, $72 million contract extension in July 2024.
The difference is Meinerz is one of the NFL’s elite players at his position. He earned NFL All-Pro honors for the first time in 2024, is only 26 years old and could be one of the building blocks for the entire offense over the next decade.
The Broncos are stuck with Powers for 2025 but after this season they could start looking for trade partners, but a cap hit of $17.9 million in 2026 doesn’t seem sustainable. The better option is if Powers is designated as a post-June 1 release in 2026, it could save the Broncos $12.5 million in salary cap space.
Statistical Anomaly for Broncos in 2025 NFL Draft
Of the 4 teams who used rookie quarterbacks as primary starters in 2024 — the Broncos, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and Chicago Bears — only the Broncos failed to take an offensive player in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
The Patriots and Commanders both drafted offensive tackles. The Bears drafted a tight end. Even the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted a quarterback in the first round in 2024 but didn’t play him, drafted an offensive tackle.
The Broncos drafted Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron and didn’t select a single offensive lineman in the draft — the first time the Broncos have gone an entire draft without taking an offensive lineman since 2002.
