There are a number of key players on the Denver Broncos roster whose contracts need to be addressed in the very near future. Although the Broncos have already made their biggest moves of NFL Free Agency, they might not have spent the most money we're going to see them spend in 2025.
Players like defensive lineman Zach Allen, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, pass rusher Nik Bonitto, defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, and plenty of others could be in line for extensions in the near future, but general manager George Paton noted at the annual league meetings that those extension talks won't materialize until after the 2025 NFL Draft.
What the Broncos end up doing in the 2025 NFL Draft looms large over any number of those situations and we could see a few players put on notice after the draft itself, but who?
5 Broncos players who could be on notice after 2025 NFL Draft
1. Courtland Sutton, wide receiver
For what it's worth, Courtland Sutton stated that contract talks are "moving in the right direction" recently. That's obviously huge in the grand scheme of things but you still can't help but wonder a little bit if the team is going to draw a proverbial line in the sand with Sutton on a new deal.
Sutton is set to command over $20 million per year on any new deal. That is simply the way of things in the NFL at his position. If/when that happens, how high above that $20 million per year mark are the Broncos willing to go? Sutton still makes sense for this roster, even with the Broncos going after a first-round receiver, but how much sense does an extension make if the Broncos draft someone like Tetairoa McMillan?
This one will be interesting to watch, but my guess is that they get a deal done with Sutton to make him a Bronco for life.
2. John Franklin-Myers, defensive line
The Broncos are rumored to be one of the many teams interested in drafting a defensive lineman with one of their top 3-4 picks in this year's class. That should not be a surprise if it happens because this defensive line class is considered one of the best and deepest that we've had in recent memory.
As things stand right now, the Broncos have a whopping one defensive lineman under contract in 2026, and that player is nose tackle DJ Jones. They are absolutely going to need reinforcements even if they are able to re-sign a couple of guys. The players on expiring deals who played the most significant roles in 2024 would be Zach Allen (who should be considered safe), John Franklin-Myers, and Malcolm Roach.
Are the Broncos going to pay all of those guys? They could reset the clock with one key piece of the defensive front and draft someone to play on a rookie contract, but that might put John Franklin-Myers on the outside looking in. It would obviously be a shame to see the band broken up, but it's very possible that JFM is the odd man out if/when the Broncos draft another defensive lineman.
3. Alex Singleton, linebacker
The Broncos signed Dre Greenlaw in NFL Free Agency, and he has stated that part of the reason why he came to Denver in the first place was to be "Michael Jordan" at the linebacker position instead of "Scottie Pippen". The vision with Greenlaw is clear: He's LB1 for the Broncos.
That means a new role, potentially, for veteran Alex Singleton. Singleton is going to be 32 this season and is coming off of a serious knee injury last year. It's not a guarantee that he's on the final roster, much less in the starting lineup this coming year.
The Broncos are obviously going to monitor his health and progress this offseason, but the ideal scenario for the team is probably to have Drew Sanders win the job. We could also see the Broncos take one of the top linebackers in this year's draft like Alabama's Jihaad Campbell or UCLA's Carson Schwesinger.
4. Jaleel McLaughlin, running back
If Jaleel McLaughlin doesn't have RB1 qualities and he doesn't have "Joker" qualities, where does that leave him in the equation going forward?
McLaughlin has been a nice change-of-pace back for the Broncos since coming on board as an undrafted free agent steal, but the luster has likely worn off a bit. If there's not a more defined role for him going forward, then there's maybe some merit to the idea that he's the least "safe" of any of the holdover running backs from last season despite having had the most defined role.
McLaughlin will be tough to beat out for a roster spot, but because the Broncos are expected to prioritize running back early in this draft, it's going to be fascinating to see how this one transpires.
5. Luke Wattenberg, center
It feels like a distinctly "outside" possibility, but it's not impossible that the Broncos would draft someone to upgrade their interior offensive line in 2025. Luke Wattenberg was the primary starter last year with Alex Forsyth playing while he was injured, but it seems like the team was mostly pleased with Wattenberg.
Still, the former 5th-round pick is a free agent after this season and the Broncos need to have plans in place in case they also feel like they need to move on from Ben Powers's contract in the near future. I would expect them to take another player with guard/center versatility while also staying hopeful that Nick Gargiulo can develop into something.