The sad reality of building something special in the NFL is the reality that you eventually have to say goodbye to some of the players who helped you get there in the first place. That's what the Denver Broncos are facing with a couple of situations entering the 2026 offseason, but none more notable than the situation with defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.
After spending just two seasons in Denver, Franklin-Myers has proven himself to be a model of consistency, availability, and excellence. He's been a key reason why the Broncos have been able to set franchise records for sacks in back-to-back seasons, but he also might be the odd man out this offseason.
Franklin-Myers hopefully won't be leaving Denver without at least some type of offer from the Broncos, but the reality facing this team in free agency is that they're more likely to have to say a brutal goodbye so they can allocate the funds and cap space elsewhere.
Broncos have too many areas to address elsewhere on the roster to keep John Franklin-Myers
In no particular order, the Denver Broncos have to address key needs in the 2026 offseason at:
- Linebacker
- Running Back
- Wide Receiver
- Tight End
And although the needs may seem somewhat minimal compared to what other teams are dealing with, they are going to require the Broncos to utilize that cap space pretty quickly. And there are ways for this Broncos team to add cap space, there's no question about that, but keeping someone like Franklin-Myers might come at the expense of a free agent running back or receiver trade.
The Broncos have spent so much money on the defensive line, giving big-money contracts to Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach, DJ Jones, Nik Bonitto, and Jonathon Cooper. They have invested in that position through the NFL Draft and have players like Eyioma Uwazurike and Sai'vion Jones waiting in the wings.
They don't currently have solutions on the roster at running back or linebacker (or some other positions), so they simply can't justify taking up another major chunk of the salary cap pie with a defensive line investment. The NFL Draft would be the avenue to keep adding there, as much as everyone would like to keep the band together.
The Broncos have to be aggressive in adding weapons to surround Bo Nix in NFL free agency, and they need to potentially overhaul their linebacker position. The finances required for those additions will almost unquestionably prevent the team from being able to make a competitive offer to bring Franklin-Myers back.