The Denver Broncos have a few notable players slated to hit the open market this coming offseason, and also have some obvious needs that have to be addressed. Given the circumstances of the 2025 NFL Season, the Broncos have to get aggressive this offseason.
Fortunately, they have the capability to do so, and it would feel like a massive letdown if this team didn't field a much-improved roster at key weaknesses like running back, tight end, wide receiver, and inside linebacker, ironically some of the same exact needs as the 2025 offseason.
We took a look at the team's most notable remaining free agents and decided what the team should do with them in about one month when free agency begins.
The Denver Broncos must take this path with key free agents in 2026
Alex Singleton - Do not re-sign
Alex Singleton being able to overcome testicular cancer during the season and return to the field for the Broncos was flat-out amazing to see, but Singleton is on the wrong side of 30 and just isn't a capable starter at the linebacker position anymore. He offers next to nothing in coverage and has clearly lost a step since returning from a torn ACL suffered back in 2024.
Linebacker is a position that the Broncos have to take more seriously this offseason, and with the possbility that this team makes a major free agency move for someone like Devin Lloyd, it would leave Singleton on the outside.
John Franklin-Myers - Do not re-sign
John Franklin-Myers appears to be a fan favorite, but the Broncos, like every other NFL team, simply cannot pay everyone. Denver has paid all of DJ Jones, Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto along the offensive line, so JFM has largely been viewed by many as the odd-man out here. The Broncos also used a third-round pick on Sai'vion Jones in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he's someone who could takeover for Franklin-Myers along the defensive line.
Overall, the time to move on is now.
Adam Trautman - Do not re-sign
Adam Trautman is truly 'just a guy' at the tight end position. He's someone who can block rather well and can catch a pass here and there, but he's never been a part of the solution at tight end, and with this position still having a burning need, the Broncos really can't justify bringing Trautman back. The free agent class at tight end is rather strong, and the 2026 NFL Draft has some encouraging prospects.
Trautman is a relatively underwhelming player, and tight end is simply a position where the Broncos cannot have that anymore.
PJ Locke - Re-sign on a one-year deal
PJ Locke was a full-time starter for the Broncos in 2024 but took more of a backup role with the team in 2025. It's clear that Locke is a fine backup. He has value to the secondary as a high-end depth piece and obviously knows Vance Joseph's system well. To his credit, Locke played well down the stretch when Brandon Jones went down with a pectoral injury. There is absolutely room for Locke in the secondary in 2026.
J.K. Dobbins - Re-sign on a one-year deal
The running back situation is an interesting one, as the free agent class is filled with talent, and much of that talent does not have the major injury history that J.K. Dobbins has, but one thing Dobbins can say more than some of these other running backs is that he does have a record of producing on the Broncos and has been an efficient running ba ck his entire career.
He's averaged over five yards per carry across his career, which began in 2020. Dobbins also appears to be beloved by his teammates and isn't going to cost much of anything to retain for another season. A one-year deal in the ballpark of 3-6 million is a fair deal for both sides, and it still leaves the Broncos an opening to add another running back to further bolster the room.
Justin Strnad - Re-sign on a two-year deal
Justin Strnad is a good player at a key position for the Broncos. Denver should re-sign him on a two-year deal, as he has a ton of upside as a rusher and has actually been the most reliable linebacker in the room these past two seasons. While Strnad isn't some elite, top-end starter, he's a floor-raiser at worst and would surely be a massive help to any new faces the Broncos bring in at the position, as he's played in Joseph's defense for years now.
Re-signing Strnad would be one of the more underrated moves this team could make.