The Denver Broncos have built one of the best rosters in the NFL, and that isn't an exaggeration. On paper, there really isn't a defense that is as talented as Denver's, and the Broncos' offensive line is the best in the NFL, so there really isn't a major hole on this roster.
And the thing with this is that it's only going to get harder for GM George Paton and the rest of the front office to keep this roster loaded - it won't get easier. The same goes for sustaining this new winning that the team has been doing.
You'd think that it simply gets easier as the Broncos get further into it, but the opposite is true, as there is a ton of parity in the NFL and a plethora of factors that dictate how a game goes. Well, Denver does have a notable free agent class in 2026, and they will have to make a $15 million decision to make with a key player.
John Franklin-Myers is a free agent in 2026, but will the Broncos prioritize an extension?
John Franklin-Myers is an excellent player and is in the final year of an extension he signed when he got traded to Denver. Franklin-Myers is in his second year with the team and has been the missing piece along the defensive line next to DJ Jones and Zach Allen.
Here in 2025, Franklin-Myers has racked up 4.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and eight QB hits. In 2024, JFM finished with seven sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 18 QB hits. Franklin-Myers is a very good, high-floor player who has been this type of player for multiple years now.
However, there are some issues here. Denver has paid a ton of players on that defense including DJ Jones, Zach Allen, Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Dre Greenlaw, Patrick Surtain II, Talanoa Hufanga, and Brandon Jones. It's one of the more expensive defenses in the NFL, and with the Broncos obviously not having unlimited cap space, they can't keep throwing high-dollar contracts at players.
Secondly, Denver drafted defensive end Sai'vion Jones in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The interesting thing with Jones is that he has very similar measurables to Franklin-Myers, and with Denver having a slew of other free agents to potentially take care of, Franklin-Myers might be the odd man out.
According to spotrac.com, his market value is a two-year contract worth about $15 million. If this a deal that JFM would take to remain in Denver, would the Broncos be comfortable offering it? It's not an overly expensive contract at all, and the great thing with JFM is you know what you'll get with the player. He's been so consistently solid for years now.
This is going to be a very interesting decision for the Denver Broncos to make. John Franklin-Myers is a great player at a key position, but there haven't been any extension talks, and it's not a guarantee that Denver even makes an offer, even if it's a lower one. At some point, though, the Broncos will have to make a free agency decision on John Franklin-Myers.