4 key players Broncos could lose after the 2022 season

As the Denver Broncos prepare for the 2022 NFL season, the team is working on a new identity that includes a new quarterback, new coaching staff and new ownership. 

But for general manager George Paton, looking toward and planning for the future is always important. The Broncos will be looking to end a six-year drought of not making the playoffs, but the organization also needs to build a solid unit for the long-term.

That will not happen without some forward thinking.

As the 2022 season progresses, Paton will always have to keep tabs on the 2023 free-agent market and the players he has who will hit that market following the season. A strong season by these players could earn a new contract in Denver, but other teams could have the chance to swoop in as all of these players will be unrestricted free agents.

Each of these players figures to be key a contributor for the Broncos this coming season but it could also be their last season with the team.

Players the Broncos could lose after 2022: Kareem Jackson, Safety

Kareem Jackson has been a solid defensive piece for the Broncos, but he is working under the second of two one-year contracts with the team. Add that fact in with his age (34 years old) and it’s unlikely that he will get another long-term deal from the team.

Paton has focused on the safety position in the last couple of drafts, using picks to select Caden Sterns, Jamar Johnson and Delarrin Turner-Yell. Sterns played well as a rookie and at least one of the others should fit into the team’s future plans.

That is how the Broncos will replace Jackson, who could quite easily be playing his final year with the Broncos.