The Denver Broncos sport one of the best rosters in the NFL, but player turnover is a thing, as no roster is identical year over year. The Broncos will have some free agents to decide on following the 2026 season, and, beyond that, some aging veterans could also see their spots on the roster disappear.
Just because Denver's roster is in a great spot now, does not mean that would remain the case beyond 2026. It's up to the front office to continue making savvy moves to keep positions of strength in the same spot, or perhaps getting them better.
Even with the regular season still being months away, there are some players whose contracts for the 2026 season truly say it all. All the contract data used here will come from Over The Cap.
The Denver Broncos have some major decisions based on certain player contracts for 2026
Ben Powers, LG
Left guard Ben Powers has no more guaranteed money left on his deal and is a free agent following 2026. The Broncos took tackle/guard Kage Casey in Round 4 of the 2026 NFL Draft, and when that happened, many immediately looked at the pick as future Powers replacement. Every other starter along the offensive line, even including Alex Palczewski, is under contract beyond 2026.
This clearly makes it seem like Powers is in the last year of his time with the Broncos. Denver has spent a metric-ton of money along the offensive line, but at some point, the team will have to get cheaper and hit on a rookie contract.
J.K. Dobbins, RB
Despite signing a two-year deal that can be worth up to $20 million, J.K. Dobbins 'contract is, practically speaking, a one-year deal. He has no guaranteed money beyond this year, and with the Broncos having taken Jonah Coleman in Round 4 of the NFL Draft, the team did leave the door open for a one-and-done season for Dobbins in 2026.
The injury history has unfortunately stuck with Dobbins for his entire career. Only playing in 10 games for the Broncos in 2026, Dobbins was good enough to warrant an extension, but clearly not reliable enough to land a legitimate multi-year deal.
Courtland Sutton, WR
Another player with no guaranteed money left on his deal after 2026, Courtland Sutton's cap hit also skyrockets from just under $14 million this year to over $28 million in 2027. Sutton is entering his age-31 season, and with Jaylen Waddle now added to the picture, Sutton could be entering his final year with the Broncos.
A post-June 1st cut of Sutton next offseason would save the Broncos a whopping $22.4 million. A post-June 1st trade would also yield the same savings. With Pat Bryant having a similar receiving profile as Sutton, and Waddle maybe even needing a new deal soon, Sutton's time with the Broncos could be entering its final season.
Brandon Jones, SAF
Brandon Jones is an awesome player, but he has one year left on his deal. He joins two other notable defensive backs who could be in their last year with the team. Jones has missed time in both seasons with the Broncos. When on the field, though, he's one heck of a player who can do a bit of everything.
Seeing as safety is a position where it's not necessarily hard to find starting-caliber talent at in the free agency market, the Broncos could simply not bring Jones back in 2027 and potentially look for a younger option.
Riley Moss, CB
Riley Moss is another defensive back who is a free agent in 2027. Moss is in the final year of his rookie deal and is one of the more polarizing players on the roster. Despite being called for a ton of pass interference penalties, Moss was excellent in coverage last year and had a ton of passes thrown his way.
According to Pro Football Reference, Moss led the league with 19 passes defended, allowed an 88.2 passer rating, and was targeted 118 times. He's a good player, but with Jahdae Barron being in the room, the Broncos might see a path forward where Barron eventually takes over on the outside, and Moss departs in free agency.
Denver is already paying Patrick Surtain II a ton of money, and Talanoa Hufanga is getting paid $13 million per year. Overall, the Broncos are investing a ton of money into the defense, which isn't a bad thing, but this could force the front office to have to make some tough decisions, and while Moss has value, his time with the team could be ending.
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