Pending 2025 free agents Denver Broncos fans should worry about losing

Jonathon Cooper, EDGE

Jonathon Cooper was a seventh-round find by General Manager George Paton in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he broke out a bit in the 2023 NFL Season. Cooper tallied 8.5 sacks, one interception, two passes defended, one defensive touchdown, 72 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 13 QB hits.

I mean, my goodness. Coop filled up the stat sheet and plays with a motor that many players simply do not have. The thing here is that Cooper clearly is not the alpha-dog off the EDGE that the Denver Broncos need, but he was darn good in 2023, and could take another leap in 2024. Cooper could be the perfect "EDGE2" player that Denver continues to deploy, but the team has yet to find that alpha.

Losing the best pass-rusher in free agency would be a huge loss for the team.

Quinn Meinerz, OG

Quite easily the second-best player on the roster below Patrick Surtain II, Quinn Meinerz is the team's best offensive lineman and someone who was a mid-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This might be George Paton's single-best move as the Broncos GM. Meinerz really broke out in 2023 and established himself as a top guard in the NFL.

The one issue I could see here is who the Broncos end up prioritizing along the offensive line. I recently just wrote about Garett Bolles, and the left tackle spot is obviously more valuable than the right guard spot. However, the Broncos could, in theory, extend both Bolles and Meinerz, but that would likely force them to cut Ben Powers, the Broncos left guard.

This could leave the team with a vacancy for 2025 at the LG spot, perhaps going to someone in-house, but being able to retain Quinn Meinerz should be a top priority, as he brings toughness, skill, and a ton of attitude to the Broncos OL.