The Denver Broncos have done a wonderful job at navigating the tough cap situation with Russell Wilson's contract. Now that the 2025 season is about over, Wilson's dead cap figures will be totally off the books. This allows the Broncos some more flexibility in free agency.
There really isn't much of a downside to this, either, unless Denver overpays for free agents, which they have largely been able to not do. However, with how many talented players the team has on the roster, they won't ever be able to pay everyone - John Franklin-Myers is a perfect example of this. He's a fan favorite, a very good player, but appears to be the odd man out in 2026.
Before the 2026 NFL Offseason officially approaches, let's dive into the five highest cap hits on the roster. The cap numbers have been taken from Over The Cap.
5 highest cap hits on the Denver Broncos roster as the 2026 NFL Offseason quickly approaches
5. Zach Allen, DE, $16,477,000
Zach Allen joined future Hall of Famer JJ Watt as the only two players in the history of the NFL to have two-straight seasons of at least 40 QB hits. Allen has had 87 QB hits across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors this year and is clearly only getting better, and with it being very likely that Vance Joseph comes back for 2026, Allen might be able to flirt with 50 QB hits, which is a mark only JJ Watt has been able to hit. Allen's cap hit is about $16.5 million in 2026, and it's nice that the Broncos are investing like this in the trenches, as this is how games are won in the NFL.
4. Patrick Surtain II, CB, $16,832,000
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the best CB in the NFL, Patrick Surtain missed a few games this year with a pectoral injury but was still the best in the league. The interesting thing with Surtain is that he's already only the fifth-highest paid CB in the NFL on a per-year basis, and the total value of his contract, $96 million, is only the sixth-highest. At some point, the Broncos may actually need to beef-up Surtain's deal to properly compensate him. He's only set to be in his age-26 season in 2026, so the Broncos may have to get ready to offer him a third big-time contract in the near future.
3. Ben Powers, LG, $18,155,000
This is the first interesting player on this list. Ben Powers missed nine regular-season games this year with a biceps injury, and while he's been a good player, he's not quite lived up to his deal. The contract Powers is on runs through the 2026 season and is worth $52 million. Powers is getting paid an average salary of $13 million, which is a bit steep. Denver could save a bit of cap space if they designated Powers as a post-June 1st cut, but financially, they don't need to do that. A trade as a post-June 1 move would also save the Broncos some money. Backup guard Alex Palczewski filled in nicely for Powers in 2025, so the Broncos might see an opportunity here to save some cap and move on from Powers.
2. Quinn Meinerz, RG, $21,721,000
The best guard in the NFL, Quinn Meinerz' cap hit is just under $22 million for 2026, but Meinerz is worth every penny. He's up for the inaugural Protector of the Year award, which is presented to the best OL in the NFL, and left tackle Garett Bolles is also the other Broncos up for that award. Meinerz has now made two-straight first-team All-Pro teams and is going to remain in Denver for years to come, continuing to perform at the highest level at his position.
1. Mike McGlinchey, RT, $23,775,000
Mike McGlinchey has been the Denver Broncos right tackle for three years now and still has two more years left on his deal. McGlinchey has been a stabilizing force on the right side and has really made strides as a pass protector during his tenure with the Broncos. His cap hit is the highest on the team and is approaching $25 million. Denver could always opt to extend McGlinchey another season to free up some cap in 2026 and also lower his cap hit. However, it would not shock me if the Broncos simply allowed McGlinchey to play out the rest of his deal and perhaps insert a younger player into the lineup after that.