Denver Broncos roster: 3 tough goodbyes team might say in 2024

The Broncos' performance in the 2023 season will dictate how they operate in the 2024 offseason, and they may have to make some tough goodbyes given certain circumstances. Depending on who you talk to, the team moving on from both Dalton Risner and Brandon McManus were two tough goodbyes the team made in 2023.

The 2024 offseason might be more of the same depending on how the 2023 season goes. It would stink to see certain players not on the team for whatever reason, but at the end of the day, the NFL is a business, and business decisions will have to be made.

Let's analyze three potentially tough goodbyes the team might have to make in 2024.

Denver Broncos' roster: Three tough goodbyes team might make in 2024
1. Justin Simmons, S

Justin Simmons has been with the Denver Broncos since 2016, and unless I'm missing someone, he's now the longest-tenured player on the roster. He also turns 30 years old this season and might be on his last personal straw with the Broncos.

Simmons has never played in the playoffs and has only had one taste of a winning season. He's been through it all with the team and is under contract for two more years. If the Broncos aren't as good as he hopes in 2023, not only might Simmons request a trade, but the Broncos may look at his big contract and want to get rid of it to create some cap space.

If they were to trade him as a post-June 1st move, the Broncos could save over $14 million on their 2024 cap. The writing might be on the wall for this move if the team isn't competitive in 2023.

2. Garett Bolles, LT

Another Bronco who is one of the longest-tenured on the team, Garett Bolles might be entering the last year on the team. There were some rumblings that the Broncos might move on from him this offseason, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Bolles is set to return from a broken leg he suffered in the 2022 season, and he's under contract for two more years. As you can probably guess, the cap savings from moving on from Bolles are significant. If they were to simply cut him next offseason, they could save nearly $12 million on their cap number.

With Quinn Meinerz needing an extension soon and both Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey under large contracts, the Broncos might want to reset themselves at left tackle. Bolles has battled through a ton in Denver but has come out as one of the better tackles in the NFL even after 3.5 years of poor play.

3. Tim Patrick, WR

Tim Patrick turns 30 years old this offseason and is coming off a torn ACL. He should be 100% for week one, which is excellent news, but this may be his last year on the team. Patrick went from an easily forgettable depth piece to one of the most important players to the offense.

He's a true story of what determination and perseverance can get you. He earned the extension he signed a couple of years ago and I'm sure he's also an exceptional teammate. Patrick is under contract for two more years, and the 2024 offseason might be when the Broncos say a tough goodbye to Patrick.

If they were to cut him next offseason, they'd save nearly $10 million on their 2024 cap number, which is huge savings for the third wide receiver in the offense. In fact, the Broncos may have already made this move mentally.