The Denver Broncos' quest to improve the roster will only get harder. With how good the team was this year, thing don't get easier, as maintining that level of dominance is tough. Had the Broncos had Bo Nix in the lineup for the AFC title game, the team is very likely playing for a Super Bowl in two weeks.
But that's not how it went this year. One of the main pieces of roster-building comes in free agency, and we have seen Denver do well for themselves in free agency. Guys like Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey, Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, Brandon Jones, and Talanoa Hufanga were additions in the open market.
Even kicker Wil Lutz, who has been very good for Denver, was acquired via trade. This front office does clearly know how to find and get talent on the open market. Before the Broncos progress to the 2026 NFL Draft in April, they'll have to make some key decisions on the free agent class, and one of the more underrated Broncos free agents just made his stance very clear.
Justin Strnad does not mince words when talking about his future with the Denver Broncos
From Luca Evans in The Denver Post, coming free agent Justin Strnad was pretty point-blank when talking about his future with the team:
“I mean, to be honest, I don’t think I would be back here if it’s not in a starter role,” Strnad told The Denver Post Monday, clarifying that he won’t return to Denver if a starting ILB job isn’t part of the equation. - Justin Strnad
That's a pretty clear (and fair) think to say. Justin Strnad is good enough to be a starter at the position in the NFL, but it's not a guarantee that he does start for the Broncos in 2026 in beyond. Strnad has been a reliable player for Denver, playing in 16 or 17 games in each of the five seasons of his career.
He really made some noise beginning in 2024. Over the past two seasons, Strnad has one interception, 6 passes defended, 7.5 sacks, 131 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 12 QB hits. Simply put, Strnad has been a good, starting-caliber player for the Denver Broncos, but the ILB spot might honestly be the most unknown position on the entire team, as the Broncos could elect to totally reset the room.
Dre Greenlaw's contract is cuttable after this year, and Alex Singleton is a free agent in 2026, along with Strnad. I don't believe it's a bad idea to keep Strnad as a floor-raising ILB who knows the defense. Retaining Greenlaw into 2026 would also not be a bad idea, but even if those two moves happened, the room still has a need.
It's hard to say how the Broncos approach the ILB spot, but they clearly now know where Justin Strnad stands.