It would be smart for the Denver Broncos to take a look at some bargain free agents in 2025. Could these two players make some sense? The Broncos will have money to spend in free agency, and the myth that they are cap-strapped somehow is just that - a myth.
Denver has just $32 million in dead money left on the contract of Russell Wilson, and after the 2025 NFL Season, his contract will be off the books for good. Since Denver hit on a QB in the 2024 NFL Season and even made the playoffs, they have a contention window opening up.
Time to go hunting for a nice sale!
This should force them to be aggressive but calculated in free agency. While the team can afford a top-shelf free agent like Jevon Holland, Tee Higgins, or Chris Godwin, they should also look to sign a bargain free agent or two. Bleacher Report listed a bunch that NFL teams should have their eyes on, and two of them stand out; running back Nick Chubb and tight end Juwan Johnson, who obviously plays for the New Orleans Saints and has a connection with Sean Payton.
Nick Chubb was one of the best running backs in the NFL for years, but a serious knee injury at the beginning of the 2023 NFL Season and a broken foot at the end of the 2024 NFL Season has Chubb in a tough spot. He will likely not receive a multi-year deal in free agency. He'll probably have to settle for something very cheap.
However, he's rushed for nearly 7,000 yards on 5.1 yards per carry across his NFL career, which began back in 2018. Chubb was an insanely productive back for years now, and while he may not have a ton left, Denver should have interest. The Broncos got some iffy play from their RB rotation in 2024 and just haven't fielded a strong run game in quite some time.
The risk here in signing Nick Chubb for dirt cheap is virtually nothing. The reward clearly outweighs any risk involved. This would be a neat move for Denver.
Juwan Johnson didn't breakout with the Saints until 2022 where he caught 42 passes for 508 yards and seven touchdowns. That was the first year after Sean Payton had stepped down.
In 17 games in 2024, Johnson hauled in 50 receptions for 548 yards and three touchdowns. And across the last three seasons, Johnson averages 48 receptions for 526 yards and five touchdowns over a 17-game slate.
He's not an elite receiver at the position and isn't going to provide Denver with a seven-year answer, but he brings immediate production at a huge position of need, and he knows Payton's offense. Actually, many people in Broncos Country have made the connection between Juwan Johnson and the Denver Broncos, and it may only be a matter of time before he signs with the team.