4 baffling offseason decisions the Denver Broncos made in 2024

Not making a more notable move at center

I understand that the Broncos are wanting to see one of their young centers develop, but it can't hurt to make a more notable move here. They signed veteran iOL Sam Mustipher in free agency, but he's more of a backup-caliber player. Right now, stud center Connor Williams is still on the market, but I feel like if Denver wanted to add another player, they would have at this point.

Two low-cost centers with legitimate starting experience signed with other teams and are both better than Mustipher. Those two players were Brian Allen and Bradley Bozeman. The Broncos could have raised the floor of the center room significantly if they would have signed one of Allen or Bozeman, who both got the minimum.

The team now has a rookie QB in Bo Nix, so surrounding him with a competent offensive line is arguably the most important thing the Broncos can do for his development.

Not cutting DT DJ Jones

DJ Jones was thoroughly not good in 2023, and it's weird that they did not cut him and save nearly $10 million on their cap. Now yes, you could argue that with better personnel and being in the system for another year, the entire DL can get better, but Jones was just not playing up to his three-year, $30 million free agency contract he got from the Broncos.

The Broncos reinforced their DL this offseason by signing Malcolm Roach, a better run defender than Jones, veteran backup Angelo Blackson, and swung a trade for DE John Franklin-Myers. The unit is much better on paper, but cutting DJ Jones should have been one of their first moves, as the free agent DL market was quite deep this offseason.

And they could have gotten better play for a lot cheaper than they have Jones for. Oh well, I guess the Broncos still feel like DJ Jones has a spot along this defensive line, but they should have released him when the offseason began.