Letting OG Quinn Meinerz hit the open market in 2025
This one could be quite unexpected, as Quinn Meinerz is not only the best offensive player on the Denver Broncos roster, but he's the best offensive linemen they have and a top-5 guard in the NFL. I mean, Meinerz is just excellent, as he's the best run-blocking guard in the NFL and also quite competent at pass-blocking.
A draft pick back in the 2021 NFL Draft, Meinerz really hit his stride this past season and could be in line for a huge extension between now and when he could potentially hit free agency. Several guards across the NFL have already hit the $20 million per year mark, so Quinn Meinerz can easily ask for that from the Denver Broncos.
But would Denver really fork over $20 million or more per year for a guard? I mean, this was a draft pick by George Paton, and we know how big he is on building a team through the draft and making sure they get retained, so I am sure both Paton and Sean Payton would love to have Quinn Meinerz for the long-haul.
But with Garett Bolles on a big contract, along with Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey on big deals, I can see a scenario where Denver runs the numbers and just does not think an extension for Quinn Meinerz can work.
The Denver Broncos could cut Ben Powers next offseason to free up some space, and even extending Garett Bolles could help open some space up as well. Whatever it takes is what the Broncos should do to ensure that Quinn Meinerz remains with the team.
However, the flip side of that could certainly happen, and it's not a reality that I would like to live in as a Broncos fan.