With all of the contract extensions being handed out over the last couple of years, it's tough to think the Denver Broncos are on the cusp of saying goodbye to anybody, much less any longtime veterans of the team.
As general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton see their vision coming to fruition all over the roster, one of the unfortunate questions that has to be asked is simple: Who's getting left out? When you look at the way things have played out in terms of the snaps being divided up to certain players this season, coupled with contract situations after the year is over, it's clear that one longtime Broncos veteran is nearing his end with the team.
Safety PJ Locke has played 10 games and a lot of special teams so far this season, but there are a couple of reasons to believe he is likely playing his last handful of weeks with the team.
Broncos safety PJ Locke could be nearing his end of his run with the franchise
Locke was an undrafted free agent once upon a time who originally signed with the Broncos' practice squad all the way back in the 2019 season. He has been with the team ever since, and had even grown into a full-time starter as of the 2024 season.
After starting his career as primarily a special teams contributor and rotational player for the defense, Locke found himself playing a much more prominent role in 2023, earning a new contract with the team and a bigger role in 2024. And the Broncos rolled with him all throughout the 2024 season, but they decided in the 2025 offseason to make Talanoa Hufanga a priority.
The decision to bring in Hufanga has obviously cut into Locke's defensive snaps drastically. He went from starting 15 games and playing 1000 snaps last year to playing just 12 defensive snaps in the first 11 weeks of the season.
Not only did the Broncos replace Locke with Hufanga in the starting lineup, but in the nickel and dime defensive packages, the Broncos are now utilizing rookie first-round pick Jahdae Barron as the tight end "stopper".
Locke is playing in the second and final year of a two-year contract he signed with the Broncos last offseason. He's counting over $5 million against the cap this year, and is obviously one of the team's top reserves in the secondary. But at this point, it's clear that he isn't going to be starting again in Denver anytime soon.
In the 2026 offseason, it would be a shocker to see Locke stay in Denver as opposed to going elsewhere to pursue starting opportunities, or at least a chance to play a bigger role in someone's defense. For the time being, he'll continue to play a crucial role on special teams, but his future with the team is very much in doubt beyond this season.