Who are the most likely Denver Broncos to get paid next?
Now that the Denver Broncos have a legitimate quarterback, they may be more likely to hand out contract extensions to some deserving players in the future.
With Russell Wilson in town, the Denver Broncos have a clear direction. In each of his 10 seasons in Seattle, his Seahawks were considered deep playoff contenders or Super Bowl contenders.
Now that he’s in Denver, the same should be thought of the Broncos. Obviously, Wilson is just one player, and the entire 53-man roster is needing to contribute to get to the end goal.
As the 2022 season approaches, Denver is in a great spot. Some of their very best players are signed for the long-term, and they don’t appear to be strapped for cash.
So, on a very basic level, whenever a team extends a player and pays him big money, they end up freeing up cap space.
So, for example, when the team gives Russell Wilson an extension, it’s likely to create cap space.
The Denver Broncos are going to have to extend some key players here in the near future.
Depending on their on-field performance, general manager George Paton may decide against it, but, in looking at the roster, I think there are three players who are most likely to get paid next, whether it be this offseason, during the 2022 season, or next offseason.
Three Denver Broncos likely to get paid next
1. Russell Wilson, QB
This one is obvious. Wilson is playing on an extension he signed before the 2019 season. It’s paying him an average of $35 million per year.
For reference, all of Derek Carr, Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford, and Kirk Cousins either make more than him per year or make the same amount.
Wilson is clearly a tier above all of those players. The reason for this is simply timing. Wilson signed his last biggest contract in 2019, while Carr, Stafford, and Cousins all inked new deals this offseason, and Prescott inked a new deal last offseason.
When Wilson signs a new deal, it’s likely to come next offseason, as he is surely willing to bet on himself having a great season, which will maximize his earnings
The top two earners are earning about $50 million per year and $46 million per year. Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson have the two highest contracts on an average/year basis.
Wilson’s next deal in Denver is likely to be a 3-5 year deal, probably in between those two numbers.
If Wilson signed a four-year extension worth $48 million per year, it’d be worth $192 million.
No matter what Wilson wants, Denver should pay up for obvious reasons.