The Denver Broncos have absolutely managed the salary cap well ever since the Russell Wilson release following the 2023 NFL Season. The Broncos did have to endure a massive $85 million dead cap hit, but that is officially behind the franchise now, as Denver is now among the best teams in the NFL and is in a healthy cap situation.
The one downside for a team like the Broncos having so many awesome players is that no team, including Denver, can pay everyone - it's simply impossible with the salary cap. However, the Broncos have found a way to pay most players, and they have typically gotten contracts done before things get out of hand.
When was the last time we have seen or heard of a Broncos' contract negotiation not going well? Let's dive into this a bit more and identify some players who actually might be a bit underpaid by Denver.
Denver Broncos most underpaid players for the 2026 season feature star-studded names
Brandon Jones, SAF ($6.67 million per year)
Brandon Jones is in the final year of his free agency deal with the Broncos. In his two years with the team, this is what he has averaged across a 17-game season:
2 interceptions
10 passes defended
1 forced fumble
1 fumble recovery
109 total tackles
Jones has been an insanely productive player at the position for the Broncos, and if you took this statistical average and looked at it across other safety production in 2025, Jones would rank 4th in passes defended and 5th in total tackles.
His production is indisputable, yet his contract value at the position ranks as the 28th-richest on a per-year basis. Jones is a lot closer to being a top-10 safety than anything, so his current contract value is absolutely indicative of an underpaid player.
Patrick Surtain II, CB ($24 million per year)
Patrick Surtain II is only the 6th-highest-paid cornerback on a per-year basis, but the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year has been the best cornerback in the NFL for a while now. It actually didn't take long for Surtain to no longer be the highest-paid cornerback.
Surtain is already a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. In 2025, he amassed 12 passes defended in just 14 games. According to Pro Football Reference, he allowed an opposing passer rating of 66.6, and allowed just one touchdown.
It didn't take long for Surtain to be seen as the best cornerback in the NFL, and he's only proven that more and more as he already enters year six.
Nik Bonitto, EDGE ($26.5 million per year)
In 2025, Nik Bonitto ranked:
5th in sacks
7th in tackles for loss
6th in quarterback hits
However, among the highest-paid pass-rushers in the NFL, Bonitto's per-year value ranks as the 14th-richest. Bonitto's production has been this way for two years now, and while he's a bit undersized and isn't the best against the run, he has mastered the skill set he had coming into the league.
Now entering his age-27 season, there is always a chance that Bonitto and the Broncos could re-up on a fresh extension a couple of years down the line, but since Bonitto just got this deal, this is what he'll be playing on.
He's also not missed a game the past two seasons, so he's been available. Yeah, it might not be a great thing for the player himself to be underpaid, but it's a strong reflection on the front office. The Broncos are getting their homegrown players paid before hitting the market, which has allowed the team to stack the roster with elite talent.
Add us as a preferred source on Google