Three young Broncos players who could save the team money next offseason

The Denver Broncos may have a few young players emerge enough in 2024 to actually save the team some money in the 2025 offseason. The Broncos do have some young players that they drafted who could be emerging before their very eyes. It could get to the point where they're playing well enough to entrench themselves as a starter in future seasons.

There could be more than three players like this on the team's roster. And the best way to sustain long-term success in the NFL is to develop through the draft. Well, even though the team is set to have well over $70 million in cap space this coming offseason, these three players could be playing well enough to actually save the team money next offseason.

Three young Broncos players who could save the team money next offseason
Alex Forsyth, C

I'm not sure Luke Wattenberg is going to get his job back when he's eligible to come off of injured reserve. Alex Forsyth really seems to have settled into the center job over the last few weeks. I'll be the first to admit that I was pounding the table for the Broncos to sign free agent center Connor Williams this past offseason.

He was the best center on the market, and while he was recovering from a torn ACL, he has still made every start for the Seahawks this season, so he was clearly healthy enough. Anyway, when Wattenberg left the lineup, Forsyth was up next, and I have to wonder if the existing chemistry with Bo Nix from their time together at Oregon is factoring into him playing sound football in Wattenberg's absence.

Riley Moss, CB

How about Riley Moss? The CB2 position opposite Patrick Surtain II was a huge question mark heading into the season, as Damarri Mathis was a liability in 2023. The team did sign veteran CB Levi Wallace in free agency, and the "battle" for the CB2 starting job was between Moss, Mathis, and Wallace. Well, not only did Moss win the job, but he's not looked back.

He's turned into a very good cornerback and is precisely what Denver needed. This not only locks in the Denver secondary for years to come, but also allows the Broncos to allocate their free agency dollars at another position of need. If you put together all of Surtain, Moss, and Ja'Quan McMillian, you unquestionably have the best CB trio in the NFL.

CB is now a huge position of strength for Denver, and Riley Moss is a huge reason for that.

Troy Franklin, WR

I understand that Troy Franklin has had two brutal drops this year. Both drops came on beautifully thrown deep passes from Bo Nix, and those drops effectively took nearly 100 passing yards and two touchdowns off the board. However, Franklin simply knows how to get open:

The hands are an issue, and if Franklin can button those up somehow in the second half of the 2024 NFL Season, Denver may have a viable WR on their hands, and it could help them save a bit of cash next offseason, as the team is currently in need of multiple starters at the position. Troy Franklin being able to separate like this as a rookie feels like half the battle.

The hands need to get better, and it's not like that's impossible.