Quinn Meinerz getting massive contract from Broncos is a really big deal

The Denver Broncos gave a big-money deal to offensive guard Quinn Meinerz, one of the best in the NFL at his position. And he was paid like it.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Meinerz is getting a four-year contract extension worth a whopping $80 million and $45 million guaranteed. As of right now, Meinerz is now one of just five total offensive guards in the NFL with over $20 million in average annual salary. As big of a deal that is, it's not the reason this contract for Quinn Meinerz is such a big deal for the Denver Broncos.

Meinerz is the first player the Denver Broncos have drafted and extended at or around league market value since wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who was drafted in 2018. The Broncos have not exactly drafted well in recent years and it's part of the reason why Sean Payton has gutted the roster the way that he has.

When you look at the Denver Broncos roster right now, take a look at the players this team has both drafted and given big-money contract extensions to:

• Garett Bolles, OT: Signed extension during 2020 season
• Courtland Sutton, WR: Signed extension during 2021 season
• Quinn Meinerz, OG: Signed extension during 2024 offseason

That's it.

That is it...

Justin Simmons got a new contract from the Broncos during the 2021 offseason and other players have gotten pretty big contracts -- from other teams. Bradley Chubb got a big-money deal after being traded to the Miami Dolphins. Jerry Jeudy got a relatively big deal after being traded to the Browns. Dre'Mont Jones got good money from the Seahawks, and Lloyd Cushenberry III got good money from the Titans. Heck, even Noah Fant just got solid money from the Seahawks as well.

But as far as core players who have stuck on this roster? The list is limited, and two of the guys on the list -- Bolles and Sutton -- could be gone after the 2024 campaign. The list of core players that have been drafted, developed, and re-signed by the Denver Broncos is very short, but it's part of the culture that GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton wanted to change.

Now, we are seeing one of the best players from Paton's very first draft class get a big-money contract from the team, fulfilling the vision he talked about when he was originally hired by the Broncos in January 2021.

"We all believe that to draft and develop talent that you bring high character players into your organization, you develop them and hopefully get them second contracts, and that’s how you build your best culture.

...I think we all believe in drafting and developing and making them into your own. That’s the best way to build a football team."

- George Paton, 2021

That vision from Paton has officially come to fruition for the very first time. Meinerz is the first player drafted by Paton to get a contract extension from Paton, and obviously the vision with Paton and Payton is aligned as far as Meinerz being a core player on this roster. To pay a guard $20 million annually was largely unprecedented in the NFL until this offseason where teams started realizing the importance of defending against the absolute aliens that are being cranked out on the interior defensive line.

So what's next for the Broncos after extending Meinerz?

It won't be long now until star cornerback Pat Surtain II resets the cornerback market. The Broncos have ample cap space going into the future and Surtain, entering his fourth NFL season already, has a 5th-year team option next year at $19.8 million. Ideally, the team wouldn't have to have that $19.8 million figure on the salary cap and could give Surtain an extension worth something along the lines of four years, $120 million or five years, $150 million at $30 million annually. If the Broncos wait another year to extend Surtain, they could be looking at upwards of $35 million annually (or worse).

But this is a good problem to have. The Broncos actually have good players worth keeping. It's a sign of some good drafting and good player development. It's a sign that you're starting to get things right. For the longest time, that wasn't happening. What players from the 2013-2016 NFL Draft classes did the Broncos extend besides Justin Simmons?

Jeff Heuerman?

The fact is, the Broncos haven't really drafted any great players at their respective positions in a long time. The last time we were talking about legitimate star players being re-signed by the team was when the Broncos were giving out extensions to the late, great Demaryius Thomas and Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller.

The reality is, drafting poorly has sunk the Broncos' ship during this reign by the Kansas City Chiefs. And not to make a mountain out of a molehill, but giving Quinn Meinerz a contract extension is hopefully just the tip of the iceberg. It's hopefully only the beginning of this team moving in the right direction -- finally.