The Denver Broncos are back on the field for their second week of OTAs, and there might already be some bad news for starters on last year's team.
The Broncos lead the NFL with an 86 percent roster retention rate, meaning they are bringing back 86 percent of the team that won 10 games last season. That is an enviable position to be in, but bringing the band back together and adding new pieces on both sides of the ball means more competition and less certainty for starters on last year's team.
One of the starters whose offseason is not off to a great start at all is safety PJ Locke, whose job was taken from him before the offseason program even began.
PJ Locke may be on Broncos roster bubble early in OTAs
Locke became a starter for the Broncos during the 2023 season and played well enough to earn a two-year contract in 2024. The Broncos made Locke the unquestioned starting safety next to Brandon Jones last year, and his results were obviously mixed.
Unfortunately, things ended poorly enough for him late last season that the Broncos went out in NFL Free Agency and prioritized bringing in former 49ers All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga. Hufanga will be a key piece of the defense this year along with Jones, but where does that leave Locke?
Considering there are other young players on the roster at safety, and even thinking about the versatility of a player like Jahdae Barron, it's not difficult to see a reality in which the Broncos cut ties with Locke whenever he's healthy. Locke has been working on the side field at the start of OTAs, meaning he's working his way back from an undisclosed injury.
On top of that, the Broncos would also save $4.19 million by letting go of Locke on this year's salary cap. If they are confident in the depth pieces like JL Skinner, Devon Key, Sam Franklin, and others, they could easily justify moving on from Locke and allowing him to get more playing time elsewhere.
The Broncos currently have enough players in the secondary who could make the roster that there's a chance a number of surprise trades or cuts could happen. Locke being in the final year of his contract makes him a little more exposed than others, though the Broncos will obviously have to weigh his special teams abilities heavily in their decision-making as well.