The Denver Broncos have a very solid young core of players, and a few of those players may play their way into long-term contract extensions next offseason. One thing that I have great confidence in for the Broncos going forward is their performance in the NFL Draft.
George Paton has proven to be a strong drafter, and with Sean Payton having a strong draft history, this will bode well for the future. No matter how a team wins a Super Bowl, what is true in every case is the core of their roster being built through the NFL Draft.
The Broncos have a good bit of young talent. Some of them are unproven, but others appear to be playing their way to a nice future in the NFL, hopefully all with Denver. There are three players I am keeping an eye on as candidates for long-term contract extensions in 2024.
Broncos' Roster: Three players who could sign big extensions next offseason
1. Patrick Surtain II, CB
The most obvious choice and perhaps the biggest priority for the Denver Broncos besides winning games in 2023 is ensuring that Patrick Surtain II, the best cornerback in football, is not playing for another team other than the Denver Broncos.
If Surtain was playing for a big-market team like the New York Jets, he'd be seen as the best CB in football, but for some reason, the national NFL landscape seems to think that Ahmad Gardner is the best.
Surtain is entering his age-23 season, and for the first two years of his career, he became so effective, so quickly that teams are simply not throwing his way. He may never lead the league in passes defended or interceptions, but that may not matter.
He's so good in coverage that the field is effectively cut in half as it's usually bad news for opposing offenses throwing toward Surtain. He'll become the highest paid CB in the NFL next offseason and is likely going to be the top priority for the Broncos.
Broncos' Roster: Three players who could sign big extensions next offseason
2 Quinn Meinerz, RG
Quinn Meinerz has very quietly become one of the premier guards in football, at least according to PFF, who recently ranked their top 32 guards ahead of the 2023 season. To the surprise of no one who watches the Broncos, Meinerz came in very high on the list.
There will be 64 starting guards in the NFL come week one, and PFF put Meinerz at 12th on the list, ahead of names like Trey Smith, Landon Dickerson, Tyler Smith, and many other talented players. The Wisconsin-Whitewater product has enjoyed two very good years to begin his NFL career and can honestly do everything a guard should be able to do.
I'm not sure there's a weakness that jumps out to be as I type these words. What also makes Meinerz a candidate to receive an extension next year is George Paton's team culture mindset. When he first got to Denver, he made it known that he believes in building and retaining through the NFL Draft. Meinerz was one of his first draft picks, and him playing his way into an extension would be ideal.
I know that guards aren't necessarily a very valuable position in the NFL, and if you take a look at the current guard free agent market, you'll see how many names are still out there. However, Meinerz is one of the best in the NFL and I think he can have a Pro Bowl season in 2023 with this coaching.
This would surely lead to George Paton and Sean Payton making extending Meinerz a priority.
Broncos' Roster: Three players who could sign big extensions next offseason
3. Jerry Jeudy, WR
The Denver Broncos did pick up Jerry Jeudy's fifth-year option, so they may not have to extend him next offseason, but with these massive wide receiver contracts being handed out and Jeudy likely set to hit the 1,000-yard mark in 2023, I could definitely see a situation brew where the Broncos may not want to extend Jeudy quite yet to the displeasure of the WR and his agency.
Could there even be a holdout here if Jeudy is not given a deal? Maybe. Wide receivers do seem to have that "diva" title attached to them more than any other position, and Jerry Jeudy is one of the most talented in the NFL, especially with his route-running.
Jeudy's 2022 season was insanely consistent. He finished the year on a high note and nearly hit the 1,000-yard mark even with bad QB play. He's also just 24 and heading into his fourth season in the NFL, so this is someone who should just be beginning to enter his prime.
With WRs becoming more and more valuable in the NFL, and both Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick's futures in Denver likely being up in the air after 2023, it would make sense to extend Jeudy for the long-term, part with one of Sutton and Patrick, and sort of reset their contract situation at wide receiver.
I do think Jeudy becomes the clear WR1 in the offense and probably tops out at 1,100 yards in 2023.