Six games into the 2026 season, the Broncos already have enough of a sample size to start sorting out who fits into their 2027 plans and who may be on the way out. Denver has multiple players set to hit unrestricted or restricted free agency after the year, and the early read is starting to separate the keepers from the likely departures.
Start with the secondary, where several decisions loom. P.J.
Locke has been a steady presence at starting free safety and has done it at a manageable cost. He hasn’t played at a level that screams premium money, which makes a future deal possible without Denver having to stretch the cap.
A return isn’t off the table, but it may not get done until later in the year, and the real issue is what Locke wants on his next contract.
Damarri Mathis has also made a strong case to stay. He’s been a valuable slot corner and has given the Broncos flexibility as a blitzer in Vance Joseph’s scheme. Because slot corners usually don’t command huge contracts, Denver has a realistic shot to keep him at a fair number, and the club should try to get something done before the season ends.
Riley Moss is trickier. He’s been productive, with five pass breakups in five games, putting him on pace for 17 this season after posting 19 last year.
That kind of production matters. But there’s also the money question, and the emergence of Jahdae Barron adds another layer after Moss and Pat Surtain II were hurt.
Moss could absolutely stay, but the Broncos have reasons to wonder whether they can meet his price.
Marvin Mims Jr. brings a different kind of uncertainty. He missed a couple of games with injury, then returned to handle snaps on offense and special teams, but the explosive plays haven’t piled up.
He’s a talented player, no question, but a new deal is not a lock. Denver may decide it would rather explore other options than commit to him for multiple years.
The defensive line picture is murkier for Zach Allen. He has started five games, but he has only two pressures, and while he can be useful as a rotational piece, his production hasn’t matched what you want from a starter. Sai'Vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim could be in line for more snaps next season, and if the Broncos like how those two are coming along, Allen may be the one left out.
On the offensive side, Quinn Meinerz is entering the final year of the four-year deal he signed in 2023, with a void year attached after his 2024 restructure. He hasn’t been as effective as he was last season before the injury. Denver wouldn’t be crazy to move on, especially if it believes Kage Casey and Alex Palczewski can battle for a starting spot.
Evan Engram looks like another player whose time in Denver may be nearing an end. He signed a two-year deal in 2025 with a void year built in for cap purposes, and while he has had some moments, his best football appears to be behind him. The Broncos are expected to let him walk and search for another receiving tight end either in free agency or the draft.
There are also several depth and special teams decisions on the board. Devon Key, a former 2023 sixth-round pick, has mostly helped on special teams, though he has logged a few defensive snaps. His best work has come in that third phase, and while Denver won’t re-sign him during the season, a deal before free agency or after he tests the market is very much possible.
Luke Wattenberg, the former 2023 seventh-round pick, has started six games and held up reasonably well, but he looks more like a depth option than a long-term starter. Even so, quality offensive line depth matters, and the Broncos could bring him back later in the process rather than during the season.
Jarrett Stidham’s future is more complicated. His ceiling has long looked like backup quarterback, but he’s also respected in the locker room.
Price will drive this one. He’s making $6.5 million this season and will probably seek more on his next contract.
Denver could also choose to keep another quarterback and draft someone to compete for the backup role.
The remaining pending unrestricted free agents are LS Mitchell Fraboni, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, TE Nate Adkins, C Michael Deiter, FB Adam Prentice, OT Matt Peart, IDL Matt Henningsen, QB Sam Ehlinger and S Tycen Anderson.
Of that group, Fraboni, Humphrey, Adkins, Prentice and Ehlinger all look like candidates for one-year returns, with the idea that they compete for roster spots and, in some cases, land on the practice squad if they miss the 53-man roster. Peart is also in the mix, though the Broncos may move on if they’re satisfied with the other tackles who can serve as a swing option.
Deiter and Henningsen, both on season-ending injured reserve, are likely on their way out. Anderson could join them, since he hasn’t made much of an impression so far.
In Other News...
Broncos Defense Just Raised A Bigger Question About This Team
The Broncos left Seattle with a 17-14 win that looked far more like a defensive statement than a tidy offensive performance. Denver leaned on a unit that was active from start to finish, with Kris Abrams-Draine making a crucial interception, JaQuan McMillian turning in the kind of tackling and playmaking that keeps drives from getting comfortable, and the front line setting the tone under coordinator Vance Joseph.
Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto were central to the pressure plan, and the way Joseph deployed his pieces gave the Seahawks little room to settle in. The bigger question now is what this defense can become if it keeps winning games while the offense sorts itself out, because on this day the Broncos did not just survive on the strength of their defense, they leaned on it heavily enough to make you wonder how often that formula can hold. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Face A Jonathon Cooper Decision With Big Fallout Ahead
Jonathon Cooper has been around the Broncos throughout his time on the NFL commissioners exempt list, even if he has not been on the field. Sean Payton said Cooper completed the steps required by the league after his domestic violence-related arrests, and the veteran defender is now being cleared to rejoin Denver as it prepares for Arizona.
The next phase still carries real consequences, though. Coopers trial is set for March, and the time he spent on the exempt list will count toward any future NFL suspension, leaving the Broncos to balance his return with the uncertainty that remains hanging over the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Have A Backfield Problem They May Need To Solve Aggressively
The Broncos backfield has become one of the more obvious pressure points on a roster trying to push deeper into a championship window. Denvers running backs have struggled to give the offense much lift, and with the team still looking for ways to raise its ceiling, the idea of upgrading that spot has moved from a luxury to a real conversation.
One name that naturally comes up is Jonathan Taylor, especially if Indianapolis decides to start making major moves. A trade for a player of his caliber would not be cheap, and Denver would have to weigh the draft compensation against the kind of immediate impact he could bring. The bigger question may be whether the Broncos are willing to be aggressive enough to address the problem before it becomes a season-long limitation. [Read more 🡒]