The 2023 season could be the end of the line for a number of current Denver Broncos players in the Mile High City, some of them beloved. It's not a guarantee -- nothing in the NFL ever is -- but it seems like the writing is on the wall for certain players on the Broncos' roster right now.
Whether they are pending free agents or have massive cap hits that will necessitate a cut or trade, we've got to brace ourselves for the reality of players that could be gone in 2024 and positions that might end up becoming major needs for this Denver Broncos team as a result.
Let's take a look at four players, perhaps some surprising names, that won't be in Denver in 2024.
4 players who (almost) definitely won't be Denver Broncos in 2024
1. Garett Bolles, OT
Garett Bolles was a first-round pick for the Denver Broncos in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Broncos selected Bolles over Ryan Ramczyk in a draft class that was not overly revered at the offensive tackle position, and despite a really rough start to his NFL career, Bolles has turned out to be a solid player.
He really took a huge leap forward during the 2020 season, a crucial year for him considering it was a contract year. The Broncos really bought into the first half of that breakthrough season for Bolles, and rewarded him with a massive contract extension in-season.
Bolles is still under contract for the 2024 season but carries a $20 million salary cap hit with only $4 million in dead money. There were some rumors that Bolles could be traded this offseason but those obviously never came to fruition. Of course, it's not as easy as just saying you want to replace a left tackle -- that position might be one of the hardest to just instantly replace in the NFL.
But with a potential savings of $16 million and considering Bolles will be 32 next offseason, it's worth wondering if the Broncos wouldn't just prefer to go after a first-round tackle next year and spend that money elsewhere, especially after giving big-money deals to Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers with Quinn Meinerz on deck.
2. Courtland Sutton
People might be surprised to see Courtland Sutton on this list, but I think the rubber will meet the road in 2024 after all of the rumors we heard about in 2023. Courtland Sutton was the subject of plenty of trade rumors this offseason and it sounds like the Broncos were taking calls on him in 2022 as well.
George Paton made Sutton a priority after he arrived in Denver, signing him to a contract extension before the end of his first year on the job as general manager. It's easy to see why coaches and GMs fall in love with Sutton -- he's an outstanding leader and teammate, he's selfless, and he's shown Pro Bowl-level abilities when at his best.
Unfortunately, we haven't seen much of that the last couple of years. Sutton has fallen victim to the Denver Broncos' overall incompetence offensively, and that has undoubtedly played a role in what could be his final year with the team.
The Broncos will need to recoup some NFL Draft capital again next offseason, and I think unlike in 2023, they maybe more willing to part with Courtland Sutton for a 3rd-4th round draft pick. The team can save nearly $10 million by trading him before June 1, but they can spread the dead cap hit over two years if they do it after June 1. In all likelihood, the threat of holding him on the roster past June 1 will likely cause a bit of a bidding war for his services on the trade market.
With two years left on his deal and base salaries of $13 million in 2024 and $13.5 million in 2025, Sutton should be a desirable commodity on the trade market next offseason and I think the Broncos will be more amenable to a trade then, especially with Jerry Jeudy's contract situation looming.
3. Tim Patrick, WR
Tim Patrick himself has dubbed the 2023 season "The Last Dance" for this group of Denver Broncos wide receivers. Was he talking about himself, though? Or is it merely the last time we'll see the group of Patrick, Sutton, Jeudy, and KJ Hamler all together?
I think it's possible we will see a complete overhaul of the wide receiver position after this current season, which could include the departures of both Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.
Patrick will be 31 next year, and carries a cap hit of over $13 million. The Broncos could save almost $11 million by letting him go in the offseason or trading him to another team. With a base salary of $9.5 million, Patrick's 2023 season will be the determining factor for whether another team would be willing to send any valuable draft picks Denver's way to acquire him.
It's certainly a fair price for what we've seen Tim Patrick do when healthy.
Many of the players who could be gone in 2024 have done their part in terms of performing on the field. But the timing of things in Denver just hasn't really worked out for everyone to stick around for the long-term. While Courtland Sutton will be 29 next season, Patrick being 31 almost makes him a lock to be let go considering he's projected to take up 5.44 percent of the team's overall salary cap number.
Again, Jerry Jeudy's eventual contract plays a factor in all of this. The Broncos might want to get younger at the wide receiver position and I wouldn't be surprised if the team felt comfortable enough with Jeudy and tight end Greg Dulcich as the primary targets in the passing game for 2024 while overhauling the rest of the receiver room.
4. Josey Jewell, LB
Josey Jewell has played extremely well for the Denver Broncos as a former fourth-round pick. He is once again entering a contract year in 2023, but the Denver Broncos may already be planning on life without him.
The team re-signed veteran Alex Singleton to a three-year deal worth $18 million this past offseason. Jewell could easily get a similar type of deal and it won't cripple the team financially, by any means, but what are we to make of the Drew Sanders selection?
Sean Payton said during the NFL Draft that not only do you have to have a vision for the player's on-field role, but when you're drafting on day two, you need to know what a guy is going to be Year 1, Year 2, etc. It seems logical to think that the plan for Drew Sanders is to be sprinkled into the lineup in Year 1 with a full-time starter role waiting for him in year two.
And based on the contract recently given to Alex Singleton, that would seem to indicate that Josey Jewell is the guy getting the boot. Because this plan is seemingly already being set in motion, it makes me wonder if Jewell will even suit up for the Denver Broncos in the 2023 season.
The team has a starting-caliber linebacker in Jonas Griffith already under contract. Griffith could start next to Singleton and the same plan could remain in place. Meanwhile, Josey Jewell has advocates around the league like Ejiro Evero in Carolina and Vic Fangio in Miami...there might be a trade on the near horizon if the Broncos decide to go that route.
But as for 2024, it seems like a foregone conclusion.