During the bye week in the regular season, the Denver Broncos were able to extend all of Malcolm Roach, Wil Lutz, and Luke Wattenberg, ensuring none of them would hit the free agency market in 2026. All in all, that will make life a lot easier for the front office in about three weeks.
Denver doesn't have nearly as big of a free agency class to decide on, and this should allow the team to focus on other positions, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Specifically, wide receiver, running back, and tight end all need a notable investment this offseason.
Well, the biggest name slated to hit the free agency market for the Broncos is John Franklin-Myers, someone who the team traded for back in 2024. Franklin-Myers enjoyed a very strong two years with the team, but there really isn't a path for him to return to the team in 2026, as Denver should avoid re-signing him at all costs.
The Denver Broncos must avoid re-signing John Franklin-Myers this offseason
There are a few reasons at play here. Firstly, no NFL team can pay everyone. There is a salary cap for a reason, and with Denver already having paid all of Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, and DJ Jones, paying JFM would be a bit too much.
Denver has other needs that have to be invested in, so allocating even more cap dollars on an already expensive defense isn't a smart business move at the moment. Secondly, Franklin-Myers is really a part-time player. He played in 46 percent of the defensive snaps in 2024 and 49 percent in 2025, so he's not even seeing the field half the time.
Do the Broncos really want to invest in potentially $10 million or more per year to retain a player like that? Thirdly, the team used a third-round pick on Sai'vion Jones in the 2025 NFL Draft, likely with the idea that he would take over for Franklin-Myers along the defensive line. The one tried and true way for teams to remain successful in the NFL for years is being able to draft and develop.
This is by no means a knock on JFM - he's a very good player, perhaps a great one, but the Broncos got the most out of him that they realistically can. Unless Franklin-Myers takes a massive hometown discount, which doesn't feel likely, there isn't much logic in bringing him back into the mix.
Denver will need to likely spend big-time on the offensive side of the ball, so you can think of this as 'taking' from the defense to help fix the offense. Offensively, Denver has some urgent needs, and if they were to trade for someone like AJ Brown, they'd need to ensure his large contract would be able to fit on the books.
All in all, Franklin-Myers not being in the equation in 2026 is a likely scenario. The Broncos will still boast a top-notch defense. Just think; last offseason, after winning the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles weren't able to re-sign Milton Williams or Josh Sweat.
They surely wanted both players back in the mix, but sometimes things like that aren't realistic. The same thing should happen here in about a month with the Broncos.