Heading into the 2025 season, the Denver Broncos had several key players in the final year of their deals who would become free agents at the end of the year. However, the team did a lot of the heavy lifting throughout the year and signed defensive linemen Zach Allen and Malcolm Roach, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, edge rusher Nik Bonitto, and center Luke Wattenberg all to long-term extensions.
Despite signing several big-name players to extensions, the Broncos still have multiple key players ready
to hit the free agent market. Let us go through this list of players and discuss if the Broncos should re-sign that player or let them walk.
Denver Broncos unrestricted free agents
DT John Franklin-Myers
JFM has been a key member to their pass rush and front seven since they traded for him from the Jets. However, he is a pending free agent and the two-sides are probably going their separate ways.
The Broncos re-signed Zach Allen and Malcolm Roach during the year and drafted developmental IDL Sai’vion Jones in the 3rd round of the 2025 NFL Draft. It sure seems like the Broncos, who never spoke with JFM about a contract, made their mind up on him last offseason. On top of that, he figures to be one of the top defensive players available in free agency and is expected to get a big money deal from some team this offseason. I don’t see the Broncos matching that deal and will be spending their money elsewhere on the roster.
The team saw Malcolm Roach and Eyioma Uwazurike step up this year, they have Sai’vion Jones developing, and could select another defensive lineman during the draft. JFM has been a very good player for the Broncos, but I think he will be playing elsewhere next season.
LB Alex Singleton
This is a tough one.
Singleton is a team captain. He is well liked in that locker room, a big part of the culture that they are building, and just overcame a cancer diagnosis that saw him miss just one game before returning to the field. He is an important part of that team on and off the field.
With that said, Singleton will turn 33 years old during the season, he has struggled in coverage/space, and the Broncos simply need to improve their linebacker room. He has been a solid player for the team but it is time to move on.
There will be talented younger linebackers in free agency and this draft class has a number of talented linebackers who the Broncos should have interest in as well. So, I am saying the Broncos should let Singleton walk in free agency, but I can understand why they would bring him back.
RB JK Dobbins
Dobbins signed a one-year deal with the Broncos this past offseason and was a big part of this offense before suffering a season-ending Lisfranc injury vs. the Raiders. The Broncos run game fell apart after he went down and his importance to this team and offense became even more apparent.
On top of that, Dobbins enjoyed his time with the team so much that he told reporters that he is a Broncos for life. So, it should make all the sense in the world to re-sign Dobbins, right?
Unfortunately, it is more complicated than that.
Despite being very productive when healthy, Dobbins has dealt with major injuries throughout his career. He has had a torn ACL, an Achilles injury, multiple other knee injuries, and now a Lisfranc injury and has missed a number of games throughout his career. His history tells you that he is not going to play all 17 games and that he could miss a significant amount of time during the year. However, when he is healthy, he will play like one of the top backs in the league.
So, if they do re-sign him, it will be very risky and they need better depth if/when he goes down again. Once he went down this year, rookie RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Tyler Badie could not pick up the slack and the Broncos run game struggled.
There will be other options potentially available in free agency as well. Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Tyler Allgeier, Travis Etienne, and others could be available and there are some talented backs in the draft that may interest the Broncos.
While I am interested in a Dobbins reunion, I don’t think he should be their top option. Swing big, and if not, re-sign Dobbins and add some better depth behind him who can step up if/when he misses time.
TE Adam Trautman
Trautman is one of Sean Payton’s guys. He is not a flashy tight end but he does a lot of the dirty work and plays the most amount of snaps in that tight end room. It may not seem like it, but he’s a key member of the Broncos offense and the team and coaching staff that likely values him the most is Sean Payton and the Broncos.
While I want more from this tight end room, I believe Trautman will re-sign with the Broncos. He played more than Evan Engram this past year and operated as their starter. I think they need to add more talent to that room, but I think Trautman will be back.
LB Justin Strnad
Like Singleton, this is another tough one. Strnad has gone from a special teams ace to a valuable depth piece/starter at linebacker for the Broncos. Now, as a pending free agent who will be turning 30 years old during the year, he has his eyes set on a starting role. Strnad told reporters that he does not think he will be back with the Broncos if he is not given a starting role.
So, should the Broncos re-sign Strnad and make him a starter moving forward? I don’t know.
He has been a solid player for the Broncos and has stepped up for them while other players missed time. However, he will be 30 years old and I think they can and should do better at that position. Like I said with Singleton, there will be younger and talented linebackers available in free agency and it is a loaded draft class for linebackers.
With that said, if the Broncos don’t want to spend premium money or draft captial on a linebacker, they could opt to re-sign Strnad and bring back a player who has played well for them and knows the system. Like I said, this would not be my first choice, but it is one that I can see the Broncos going with this offseason.
S P.J. Locke
Locke was coming off a disastourous wildcard game vs. the Bills last season and saw him lose his starting role to Talanoa Hufanga, a player the Broncos prioritized in free agency. On top of that, he underwent serious neck surgery in the offseason. So, there were a number of questions surrounding Locke heading into the season.
However, Locke bounced back from the surgery, did not miss anytime, and was a key reserve for the Broncos this year and played well in-place of the injured Brandon Jones. He even intercepted Josh Allen during the Broncos divisional round victory over the Bills.
I believe he will enter free agency with the hopes of landing a starting job somewhere else. The Broncos have Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga as their starters and he will be the third safety at best on the roster. However, if the two-sides can work something out, I would welcome Locke returning to the team as a valuable depth piece. With that said, I think there are better odds that he will sign elsewhere this offseason.
FB Michael Burton
The veteran fullback is 34 years old and coming off a hamstring injury that ended his season back in training camp. I don’t think he will be back and frankly, he may call it a career at this stage.
On top of that Adam Prentice came in and did a great job in-place of Burton and I believe there are much more likely to move forward with him instead of Burton.
TE Marcedes Lewis
He will be 42-years old and this might be it for the former first-round pick turned blocking specialist. He was brought in for a few games this season and then stayed on the Broncos practice squad for the remainder of the year. Lewis won’t be back with the Broncos.
WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Lil’Jordan signed with the Giants last offseason but the Broncos would bring him back midway through the season and he would end up being a key contributor to the team in the second half of the season.
He is one of Sean Payton’s guys, he knows the system, and has made some plays for the Broncos recently. However, the team can and should do better. I wouldn’t be upset if he came back on a small one-year deal and landed on their practice squad, but I hope the team does something bigger at wide receiver this offseason.
C Sam Mustipher
He was signed off the Chargers practice squad late in the year when the Broncos needed some depth at center. With Luke Wattenberg extended and Alex Forsyth proving to be a solid backup, they have no real reason to re-sign Mustipher at this time.
QB Sam Ehlinger
Ehlinger really seemed to enjoy his time in Denver.
He reportedly turned down offers from other teams to join their roster as the backup quarterback and liked the Broncos quarterback room so much that he signed on to their practice squad as the QB3. Now, entering free agency again, will Ehlinger look to re-sign with the Broncos? I would assume there would be mutual interest there but he will explore his options before deciding on returning to the Broncos.
I can see it going either way but I would not be upset if he returned as the Broncos QB3 this offseason.
Denver Broncos restricted free agents
CB Ja’Quan McMillian
The Broncos divisional round hero and starting slot corner is a restricted free agent this offseason and will likely receive a first or second round tender from the team. He is a valuable member of the Broncos secondary and a potential extension candidate for them this offseason.
I don’t see a world where the Broncos won’t tender him or another team giving up a first or second round pick to acquire him so I believe Ja’Quan will be back with the team next season.
OL Alex Palczewski
Palczewski was proven to be a valuable reserve offensive linemen for the Broncos. He was their 6th OL and extra blocker earlier in the season and started and played well in place on injured guard Ben Powers. The former undrafted free agent should be back with the team next season.
TE Nate Adkins
Adkins is a favorite of Sean Payton and one of the Broncos better run blocking tight ends on the roster. He is a valuable member of the team who does a lot of the dirty work while also contributing as a receiver from time to time. He will be back with the Broncos next season.
RB Jaleel McLaughlin
This one is tougher than I expected. Jaleel’s stock is the lowest it has ever been and while he is a well-liked player, I could see the Broncos moving on. He didn’t contribute much this season and was a healthy scratch for most the year. His size limits what he can do and the Broncos should be adding more size and depth to their backfield. With that said, he is valuable depth and would not cost all that much so I am 50/50 on him returning.
TE Lucas Krull
He was injured most of the year and honestly, I think the team will be moving on. Krull has had his chances and he never really did anything with them. I’d like to see the Broncos add some new blood to the tight end room this offseason.
IDL Matt Henningsen
He went down with a significant knee injury during training camp and missed the entire year. I don’t see the Broncos placing a tender on him but they could bring him back later once he is medically cleared.
Denver Broncos exclusive rights free agents
S Devon Key
Key earned All-Pro honors as a special teamer and is guranteed to return to the team in the same role. He could also see his role on defense potentially grow if PJ Locke signs elsewhere, but Key will be back with the Broncos in 2026.
RB Tyler Badie
He was the Broncos third-down specialist all season and his ability to pass block will likely have him back with the team this offseason. He did not contribute much as a runner or receiver, but his ability to pass block is valuable and I see the team keeping him on the roster to comepte for a roster spot this offseason.
EDGE Dondrea Tillman
He is a valuable depth piece at edge rusher and had 2 interceptions this past season. While I believe Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson have brighter futures, I think Tillman is a valuable member of that edge rushing unit and will be back next season.
IDL Jordan Jackson
With John Franklin-Myers likely signing elsewhere this offseason, I see the Broncos bringing back Jackson to add some depth to their defensive line. He has been with the team for a few years now and I don’t see them letting him go.
