The Denver Broncos have gotten to work during the bye week, extending Wil Lutz and now Luke Wattenberg, their starting center. This is a huge deal for the Broncos, as the center is the only other player on the field who touches the ball every play, besides the quarterback, obviously.
Wattenberg was scheduled to be a free agent in March, but he's back with the Broncos for another four years. He was a 5th-round pick back in the 2022 NFL Draft and is now cashing in on a deal that pays him $27 million in guarantees and is worth $12 million per season.
If you ask me, I believe the Broncos may have overpaid for Wattenberg, but this move keeps the offensive line in a consistent place for another few seasons. And, with this deal being signed, it could be bad news for a certain guard who could now be on the way out.
Ben Powers might be a cap casualty with the Luke Wattenberg extension
Ben Powers, who has not played in about two months to due a biceps injury, could be on the way out with the Wattenberg extension:
The Broncos are signing Luke Wattenberg to a four-year, $48 million extension, including $27M guaranteed, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 26, 2025
Brian McLaughlin of @VaynerSports negotiated the deal, which puts Wattenberg among the NFL’s highest paid centers.
pic.twitter.com/RuxlUSO4Rf
Powers signed a four-year deal with the Denver Broncos in the 2023 NFL Offseason and is in his third year with the team. He had not missed a start with Denver until this year, and his contract can be ripped up, if you will, after this year.
It's the business side of things, and you get the sense that the Broncos are likely going to make this move, as teams rarely, if ever, tie up every starter along the offensive line on a major deal - teams simply cannot allocate too much money at any position.
Even the best offensive lines of this generation have had players on rookie deals - that is simply how the NFL works. Furthermore, Alex Palczewski seems to have filled in nicely for the Broncos in Powers' absence, so the front office could have faith in him. Cutting Powers would save the Broncos some money, but it is a tough decision to make.
When he was on the field, he was among the better guards in the NFL, and I am not sure Wattenberg is as good of a center as Powers is a guard, so let's hope this move works out the way the Denver Broncos hope.
Ben Powers might be a legitimate cap casualty this coming offseason.