4 key Broncos' players motivated by their contract year as 2026 approaches

The Denver Broncos have a ton of key players. Some of whom have been paid by the team, but others have not been paid.

There will surely be some players who do get an extension from the team within the next year, as this front office does make it a priority to reward guys who are deserving of deals, especially home-grown talent.

And, specifically, these four Broncos players could be more motivated than ever with it being a contract year in 2026.

4 very notable Denver Broncos players motivated by their contract year for 2026

Ja'Quan McMillian, CB

Ja'Quan McMillian, outside of Bo Nix, might be the most clutch player on the Broncos. His big-play ability is absolutely felt throughout the team, and he could not have come up in a bigger moment than he did last year in the playoffs.

He also greatly improved after a shaky 2024 season. According to Pro Football Reference, McMillian allowed a 64.4 percent completion in 2024, 688 yards, three touchdowns, and a passer rating of 85.7.

In 2025, though, he only allowed a 59.5 percent completion, 467 yards, two touchdowns, and a 74.2 passer rating. McMillian also received a substantial raise this offseason, but as of now, no long-term deal is in sight.

For the undrafted McMillian, the motivation might be higher for him than any other player on this list, as he was clearly looked over by all 32 teams during the draft, and also plays a position where the contract market isn't exactly clearly defined.

Seeing as he's a top slot cornerback in the NFL, it'd be reasonable to think that McMillian wants to try and reset the market at that position, and he surely wants to stop signing these one-year contracts, as they provide no long-term stability.

Riley Moss, CB

Fellow Site Expert Sayre Bedinger made a very interesting observation about the Broncos' front office regarding contract extensions they have recently handed out:

Well, September 4th is coming up, so perhaps there is something in the works...? We won't know for sure until something happens, but what we do know is that this team has made a legitimate effort to lock-up key players they want to remain with the team.

I am not sure the Broncos have been in any sort of contract drama with a player in the George Paton era, which is a testament to how well-run this team is. And with how much Paton values his home-grown players, Moss getting a deal would not be a shock.

However, there is also a chance that Moss doesn't get a deal - his pass inference penalties last year could give the front office some caution in a potential deal, as some of those penalties came at the worst possible time.

With that said, no CB was targeted more in the NFL last year than Riley Moss (Pro Football Reference), and he did hold his own, as many of us saw how iffy some of those pass interefence penalties were. Either way, Moss can surely see a contract extension is in his future, whether it's with the Broncos or another team.

Brandon Jones, SAF

Brandon Jones is yet another defensive back who is in a contract year. He's missed time in both seasons of his Broncos career but can do everything at the position and does allow Talanoa Hufanga to thrive at what he does best.

However, Jones is the oldest of the three DBs we've mentioned here, and, unfortunately, doesn't play as valuable as position. With that said, Jones is very good and is honestly a bit underrated in my eyes. The future contract he signs isn't likely with Denver unless he has a monster year, but even in that event, Jones could price his way out of town.

Furthermore, he surely understands that his time to earn another big-time payday in the NFL is only getting shorter. He's playing out his second NFL contract and would reasonably have eyes on a third, perhaps the biggest of his career.

Staying on the field all season and earning one final notable payday in the NFL is something that is on Jones' mind, especially when you unpack his situation like this.

Marvin Mims Jr, WR

While not a huge threat as a receiver, Marvin Mims Jr is an elite return specialist for the Broncos, but this does make it hard to figure out what his value could be. He does have the speed and vertical threat ability to change games, and we have seen Mims come up clutch in so many games in his short career, despite not playing a ton.

And with the Broncos clearly going through some transition at wide receiver, there is still a chance that Mims, who is only 24 years old, could have a long-term stay in this room. Simply playing more snaps and being involved more in the offense would be huge for his chances to get a top payday from the Broncos.

Furthermore, he could be eyeballing the contract that Seattle Seahawks' returner and receiver Rashid Shaheed got from the team in the offseason, as both Mims and Shaheed are both in that WR/returner position group. Shaheed scored a three-year deal worth $51 million, with nearly $35 million guaranteed.

If Mims does hold a bigger role as a receiver and continues to churn out solid returns, he'd surely get that much or more on a future deal. And with all of the players on this list, they have all been with the team when a big-time deal is announced for one of their teammates, so it makes sense that all four would think that they could be the next ones to land a massive deal from the team.

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