Take a look at the Denver Broncos’ payroll and ask yourself — is there anything that seems off?
You’ll notice star cornerback Patrick Surtain II earning a hefty sum — around \$33.1 million in 2025 — and figure that’s fair compensation for the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
You’ll see second-year quarterback Bo Nix set to make \$1.6 million in 2025 and think it’s a bargain if he takes a step forward this season. And then there’s All-Pro edge rusher Nik Bonitto, pulling in \$5.3 million — a major value for a Defensive Player of the Year finalist who could be eyeing a contract extension approaching nine figures before long.
So, what’s the takeaway here? The Broncos don’t have many bad contracts on their books right now. That’s largely because they’ve had to be extremely cautious with spending, thanks to the \$85 million in dead cap tied to the Russell Wilson deal spread across 2024 and 2025.
One contract that clearly needs to be addressed after this season is left guard Ben Powers’. He signed a 4-year, \$51.5 million deal in March 2023, and he’s set to count a hefty \$17.425 million against the 2025 salary cap — the fourth-highest figure on the team.
Despite starting 34 straight games over the past two seasons, Powers has yet to make a Pro Bowl in his six-year NFL career and earned just a 63.9 overall grade from PFF in 2024 — ranking 56th out of 138 eligible players at his position. Yet, he’s the eighth-highest-paid guard in the league. That’s a textbook case of being severely overpaid.
Broncos Paying Too Much for Offensive Guards
The Broncos are paying a ridiculous amount of money for their 2 starting offensive guards — a combined $123.5 million between Powers and right guard Quinn Meinerz, who signed a 4-year, $72 million contract extension in July 2024.
The difference is Meinerz is one of the NFL’s elite players at his position. He earned NFL All-Pro honors for the first time in 2024, is only 26 years old and could be one of the building blocks for the entire offense over the next decade.
The Broncos are stuck with Powers for 2025 but after this season they could start looking for trade partners, but a cap hit of $17.9 million in 2026 doesn’t seem sustainable. The better option is if Powers is designated as a post-June 1 release in 2026, it could save the Broncos $12.5 million in salary cap space.
Statistical Anomaly for Broncos in 2025 NFL Draft
Of the 4 teams who used rookie quarterbacks as primary starters in 2024 — the Broncos, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and Chicago Bears — only the Broncos failed to take an offensive player in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
The Patriots and Commanders both drafted offensive tackles. The Bears drafted a tight end. Even the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted a quarterback in the first round in 2024 but didn’t play him, drafted an offensive tackle.
The Broncos drafted Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron and didn’t select a single offensive lineman in the draft — the first time the Broncos have gone an entire draft without taking an offensive lineman since 2002.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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