The Denver Broncos have spent the better part of almost two years retaining top talent on both sides of the ball, but the defensive unit has taken on more importance in recent months. Denver entered the offseason with two starters set to be pending free agents, and a key depth piece who started earlier in the year, along with them. Of these three players, the Broncos retained the one who ended the year as a depth piece.
Of the three inside linebackers the Broncos started last season, two were in the final year of their contracts. Alex Singleton, a Broncos captain and wearer of the defensive green dot, has become one of the best stories in all of football after defeating cancer mid-season last year. As for Justin Strnad, he became one of the best sacking and run-stopping inside backers in football during his starting stint in place of the injured and then suspended Dre Greenlaw.
Denver’s inside linebacking group has been under much scrutiny over the past two seasons, but Strnad’s play has actually been a solid development. Strnad has even gone as far as to say, on the record, mind you, that he did not believe he would be back in Denver unless he was a starter.
Justin Strnad told @denverpost point-blank after the season that he views himself as a starting ILB.
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) March 8, 2026
"To be honest – I don’t think I would be back(in Denver) if it’s not in a starter role.”
We'll see how his re-signing shapes the #Broncos' plans at ILB:https://t.co/XBYW1oF4jl
The Broncos reportedly want to bring Singleton back, but that would equate to Denver running their entire position back. That remains unlikely, but one signal was sent loud and clear with this contract extension.
Denver Broncos send clear signal about starting inside linebacker after latest extension
Before hitting the open market, Strnad had made it abundantly clear that he was looking for a path to be a legitimate starter, and had this to say after re-signing on the new deal.
Caught up with ILB Justin Strnad. Told him his 3-year, $19.5M max value deal is starter money:
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) March 8, 2026
"We didn't get too crazy into it (whether he's now a full-time starter). I let my agent (Jared Fox) handle all of it. We might find out in the coming days what moves they make, I…
He has now seen time in that role as an injury replacement in consecutive years, but was unable to keep a hold on that spot. With his new contract after asserting he wanted to be a starter, he could finally have his spot.
The Broncos haven’t paid an incredible amount of money to backups or rotational pieces in recent years, and $18 million is no amount to laugh at. This could go one of two ways for the remainder of Denver’s spring, assuming they don’t run back their same trio: Greenlaw is cut after less than half of a regular season, or the Broncos opt to move on from their captain and play caller Singleton, which also removes a key locker room piece. There is some financial gain to cutting Greenlaw, but the Broncos have not seen a cap casualty off their roster yet.
No one quite knows the plan for the Broncos’ offseason yet, and this move does nothing to clarify their intentions. The team now either runs the trio back, cuts bait on a recent high-dollar free agent signing, or lets a fan and locker room favorite hit the open market. The one thing that feels clear out of all of this, however, is that the Broncos have decided on one of their starters for next year, and it’s Strnad on a new deal.