Denver Broncos top candidate for preseason contract extension
The Denver Broncos have a variety of players in need of contract extensions, but this particular player could get an offer before the preseason is done.
The Denver Broncos have a number of intriguing contract situations to monitor as we approach the 2022 regular season.
Of course, the spotlight will continually be on quarterback Russell Wilson, who will at some point in the near future likely get the biggest contract in Denver Broncos history.
Aside from Wilson, though, the Broncos have other priorities on the roster including a couple of stud defensive players.
The one player that really stands out as being a potential preseason or even training camp contract extension candidate, though?
That would be Dre’Mont Jones.
Dre’Mont Jones could get a big-money deal from Denver Broncos in camp
Although the Denver Broncos haven’t actually come out and said anything about it, the possibility of extending Dre’Mont Jones before the 2022 regular season could make a lot of sense and for a variety of good reasons.
First and foremost, this is a guy that you obviously want to be on your team for the long haul. That seems like a no-brainer but it needs to be said. Jones is a key piece of this defense moving forward.
Second, Dre’Mont Jones is no longer going to be “underrated” compared to his peers in the NFL.
Now that the Broncos are going to be in the spotlight, players like Dre’Mont Jones will no longer fly under the radar. He’s going to get plenty of exposure and along with that could come bigger contract demands.
Third, Jones is obviously not going to be getting any worse. This is a guy whose value is only going to skyrocket the more he’s on the field.
Fourth, re-signing Jones before (or even during) the 2022 season ensures that you don’t have to use the franchise tag on him in the offseason.
The Broncos need to leave the franchise tag available for one player, and we’ll get into that in another post.
We don’t know exactly how general manager George Paton is going to operate here. Obviously, he got multiple contracts done during the 2021 season when he re-signed Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick to long-term deals, keeping them from hitting free agency.
Not only did he keep them from hitting free agency, he was able to keep the franchise tag unused which is always ideal for teams and players alike.
He also signed those two players before they could hit the open market and get much bigger deals than they actually signed for.
Signing Jones now could look like a bargain in 12 months.
Jones is a disruptive, position-versatile defensive lineman who can get after the quarterback. He’s gotten better every year he’s been in the league and he’s proving to be a core piece of the Denver Broncos’ defense.
To me, he’s easily the most likely contract extension candidate if the Broncos are going to get a deal done with someone before the 2022 season.