4 contract decisions that will pay off for the Denver Broncos

There are a serious of four contract moves that the Denver Broncos have begun making and should continue to make, as they will pay off big-time for the team. Denver has been a lot more careful with their cap situation this offseason, which is great. The fallout from the Russell Wilson contract is basically forcing the team to take this approach.

However, that doesn't mean they can't do nothing with their current cap figure. The team still has some long-term needs and some contract extensions that need to get done. The process to build a team in the NFL never ends, so Denver should keep making smart contract moves.

Let's look at four contract decisions that will ultimately pay off for the Broncos.

4 contract decisions that will pay off for the Denver Broncos
Extending Patrick Surtain II

Perhaps the most obvious move to be made in the NFL right now is a future extension for Patrick Surtain II. The Denver Broncos are clearly hoping to be competitive this year, so any previous talk of trading the stud CB for a haul will not materialize. At this point, the only way forward here is for Denver to make Surtain the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history.

He'll deserve every single penny, and he's truly a lockdown cornerback. Without Surtain in the secondary, Denver would have perhaps the worst unit in the NFL, and through just three seasons, it's clear that not only is Surtain a perennial Pro Bowler, but he's also someone who has Hall of Fame trajectory.

There really is no other option here than to extend Surtain.

Extending Quinn Meinerz

Another stud Denver Broncos player from the 2021 NFL Draft, Quinn Meinerz most definitely needs a future contract extension. He's the best player on the Broncos offensive line and a top-5 guard in the NFL. And yes, while teams can typically find serviceable enough iOL play on the free agent market or in the NFL Draft, Meinerz is simply several tiers above most of his peers.

He's in the top guard conversation with guys like Zack Martin, Quenton Nelson, and others. There really should not be a downside here. Now yes, extending Meinerz would give the Broncos four big-time contracts along the offensive line, so they'd probably do something with Ben Powers' contract, the Broncos left guard.

However, like Surtain, there really is no other choice here than to extend The Belly.