The Denver Broncos are bringing back veteran inside linebacker and special teamer Justin Strnad for a sixth season with the team, which DNVR's Zac Stevens first reported. Strnad started most of the season for the Broncos last year, following Alex Singleton's season-ending knee injury in week two against the Buccaneers.
The Broncos first selected Strnad in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest. He had previously spent his career as a special teamer, but Singleton's injury forced him into an expanded role in 2024. Strnad signed for just $2.7 million, per Stevens, which is a bargain for the Broncos.
Broncos retain key piece of both defense and special teams with Justin Strnad
Heading into 2025, Strnad figures to compete for snaps with Alex Singleton as the Broncos' second linebacker. Singleton was a monster for the Broncos in previous years, but questions arise about an inside backer returning from a major knee injury heading into his age-31 season. He will be in the last year of his second contract with the Broncos and is still a prime cap casualty candidate for Denver as we progress into the back-end of the first week of free agency.
Singleton's time as a defensive captain and seemingly beloved Bronco might work in Singleton's favor, but he won't be safely on the roster until the season rolls around. Justin Strnad could be in a situation where he and Singleton remain on the roster but share snaps as inside backer number two.
Beyond Singleton and Strnad, the Broncos also have Drew Sanders. The former Boomer Sooner started to see playing time late in 2024 after returning from a knee injury and could be a factor for the Broncos this year. It could allow the Broncos to focus Strnad on special teams and use Sanders as their second or third inside backer with Singleton.
Beyond being the team's second or third inside backer, Strnad is a key special-teamer for the Broncos. The team's special teams unit is in the process of undergoing massive changes, as they lost arguably football's best gunner in Tremon Smith to the Texans, and punter Riley Dixon departed Denver for the Buccaneers. The team signed gunner Trent Sherfield in free agency to replace Smith and are still without a punter, but Strnad brings a level of continuity that the team otherwise is lacking on special teams.
Kicker Will Lutz and long snapper Mitchell Fraboni are the only other special teams-specific players that the Broncos are returning from last year. Marvin Mims is returning, but his growing role in the offense could limit how much the Broncos want to expose him to hits on special teams players. If Sanders is able to beat out Strnad in camp, the former Demon Deacon could find his role in 2025 to be special teams exclusive.