5 Broncos who have made themselves a lot of money in 2023

The Denver Broncos have gone from a team with a wide variety of players on the chopping block or the trade block to a team that may now have to figure out how to pay a bunch of guys. When you are winning games, these are good problems to have, and the Broncos have seen a number of key players substantially increase their overall value over the course of the 2023 season.

But which players have made themselves the most money?

Let's take a look at this Denver Broncos roster and which players have made themselves the most money (arguably) in the 2023 season.

1. Quinn Meinerz, OG

The Denver Broncos' starting right guard has been one of the team's biggest money-makers of the 2023 season. It's not that Meinerz is having a "breakout" season in 2023, by any means, but he's having arguably his best year as a pro at exactly the right time.

Meinerz was a third-round pick in George Paton's first NFL Draft with the Denver Broncos back in 2021, and he has been a phenomenal value for the team. Meinerz came from Wisconsin-Whitewater, but he made a name for himself at the 2021 Senior Bowl after his 2020 campaign was canceled due to the pandemic. He's one of the strongest, most athletic interior offensive linemen in the NFL, and he's been asserting his physical prowess in 2023.

Sean Payton places a tremendous emphasis on the guard positions in his offense, and I think it's safe to say that there will be some extension talks regarding Quinn Meinerz after this season. The great news is? The Broncos can sign Meinerz to an extension in 2024, which will be his final year under his rookie deal, and still have a low year-one cap hit in 2025. That means that Meinerz could sign a four-year extension (or something like that) and the Broncos won't face hefty cap hits until 2026 at the earliest.

2. Garett Bolles, OT

Former first-round pick Garett Bolles has certainly had his ups and downs as a member of the Denver Broncos, hasn't he?

He went from being "Garett Holds" to being a big-money contract player in short order, and the Broncos paid him handsomely for a breakout campaign in 2020. After declining his 5th-year option, the Broncos handed Bolles a four-year, $68 million deal in 2020 which is set to expire after the 2024 season. Unfortunately, before the deal expires, there is a major hurdle to clear. Bolles is on the books in 2024 for $20 million against the salary cap with a base salary of $16 million.

He has no guaranteed money left, so there should be motivation on both Bolles's side as well as the Denver Broncos' side to get a new deal done.

Bolles cannot be restructured because there are currently no more years left on his deal. The Broncos could add void years to the final year of Bolles's deal and still allow him to become a free agent in 2025 (at the age of 33) but it feels more likely that this team would simply find a way to do a three-year extension for their left tackle.

And Bolles has earned himself an extension.

The going rate for top-level tackles these days is really no less than $18 million per season. That is a hefty chunk of change but the Broncos could convert Bolles's base salary in 2024 ($16 million) into part of a signing bonus or some other form of a bonus, and give him a 3-year extension worth somewhere between $54-60 million.

That's one of the benefits of having cash-rich ownership. The Broncos can load up Bolles with bonus money and find other ways out of the contract down the road if need be.

3. Lloyd Cushenberry III, Center

There are plenty of great rags to riches stories in the NFL every year, but there are few as great in Denver right now as the turnaround we're seeing from Lloyd Cushenberry III.

The Broncos' starting center was given a very odd and almost offensive vote of confidence from the new coaching staff this offseason. Whatever Sean Payton and offensive line coach Zach Strief identified from Cushenberry on tape as far as his ability to hold up and excel as a starter, they were really the only ones seeing it. Even the previous coaching regime left a healthy Cushenberry on injured reserve late last season when they had the chance to bring him back.

It felt like Cushenberry could have been easily replaced all offseason, but the Broncos didn't dive into a very shallow center market, they didn't draft anyone until round 7 (Alex Forsyth), and Cushenberry has done an outstanding job.

Maybe offensive line coach Zach Strief deserves more credit as a possible assistant coach of the year. We're seeing Quinn Meinerz have the best year of his career, and both Garett Bolles and Lloyd Cushenberry III play at an elite level after they landed on season-ending IR in 2022.

Cushenberry has made himself some money with his efficiency as a pass protector and the Broncos have consistently applauded Cushenberry for his intelligence, even when he was seemingly overmatched at times physically. He could parlay this season into a nice, fat contract.

4. Fabian Moreau, cornerback

The Denver Broncos picked up Fabian Moreau as somewhat of a "break in case of emergency" move when Riley Moss went down at training camp with a core muscle injury.

Moreau has plenty of playing experience with Washington, Atlanta, and New York. He's been a starter now on four different teams, including with the Denver Broncos, and he might be in line for his biggest pay day yet in 2024.

As a member of the Broncos, Moreau has allowed a completion rate into his coverage of just 57.1 percent, and a QB rating into his coverage of just 67.1. Those numbers would be his personal best in four years, and the best in his NFL career as a regular starter.

Pro Football Reference credits Moreau for 0 touchdowns allowed this season, and he's added an interception along with four passes defensed this year.

Perhaps the cornerback-needy Broncos can convince Moreau to come back to Denver and play for them again next year at a reasonable price. But don't be shocked if he goes out in free agency and gets upwards of $6 million or more on a deal for 2024.

5. Courtland Sutton, WR

There's no question that Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is having one of the best seasons of his NFL career. Statistically speaking, Sutton has a chance to break 1,000 yards this season, and with just 560 yards receiving and 50.9 receiving yards per game, you might be wondering how he could possibly be having one of the best seasons of his NFL career.

Back in 2019, Sutton made his first and only Pro Bowl. he caught 72 passes for 1,112 yards, and had a QB rating when targeted of 97.2 Those are very solid numbers and that 2019 campaign was considered a true breakout for Sutton where he earned the label of "QB proof" as he caught passes from all of Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen, and Drew Lock.

The next handful of seasons were tough for Sutton. He tore his ACL in 2020, and his production dipped in 2021 and 2022 as the Broncos once again had issues at quarterback and offensive coordinator.

But in 2023, Sutton's efficiency has leaped even above where he was in 2019 when he was considered "QB proof". He has a QB rating when targeted this season of 128.3. Think about the difference between that and the 97.2 QB rating when targeted in his Pro Bowl season of 2019...

Sutton is balling, and his guaranteed money is running out. With salary cap hits over $17 million in both 2024 and 2025, the Broncos could approach Sutton about an extension or a restructure, which would get his cap hits for the next two years down but also perhaps put some well-deserved cash in his pocket after a second "breakout" season.