The Broncos’ Week 10 bye lands at a pretty convenient time. Denver is 7-2, sitting in control of the AFC West, and with that kind of position comes a different kind of roster question: who gets paid next?
The Broncos have handled that part well before. Last season, they used the bye week to lock up Wil Lutz, Malcolm Roach and Luke Wattenberg. With the same window here, there’s a real chance they try to get at least one extension done again before Week 11.
The names that keep coming up are cornerbacks Ja’Quan McMillian and Riley Moss, along with safety Brandon Jones. Wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. is also on the radar, though he’s set to be a free agent in 2027. Last year’s bye-week extensions all involved players who would have reached free agency in 2026, so the timing is a little different this time around.
If Denver is going to make a move, McMillian feels like the cleanest fit.
At 26, he’s already making a case as one of the league’s best slot corners. Through nine games, McMillian has one interception, seven passes defended, three sacks, four tackles for loss and four quarterback hits.
Pro Football Reference says he’s allowed a 67.4 passer rating in coverage this season, which would be the best of his career. He’s productive, disruptive and dependable all at once.
It’s hard to find a stronger argument for an extension.
Jones brings a different conversation. He’s been one of Denver’s most productive defenders since arriving, piling up six interceptions, 22 passes defended and 248 total tackles across 38 regular-season games with the Broncos.
He’s also allowed only a 74.5 passer rating in coverage. But he’s missed time, including one game this year, one in 2024 and three in 2025, not including the playoffs.
He’s in his age-28 season now and would be in his age-29 season next year, so the age and injury history may make him a slightly trickier priority.
Moss is the other cornerback in the mix, and his role makes him easy to notice. He’s the guy lined up opposite Patrick Surtain II, which is no small assignment.
This season, Moss has allowed an 88.2 rating in coverage, but he has limited opponents to a 51.4 percent completion percentage, which would be the best mark of his career. He led the league with 19 defended passes last year and started all 17 games.
He won’t turn 27 until March, and while the penalties remain an issue, Denver’s secondary looks noticeably different when he’s not out there.
The bigger point is that the Broncos’ defense is easier to build around in the secondary than it is at corner. That’s why McMillian and Moss look like the stronger extension candidates right now, even if Jones is still a very good player.
As for Mims, the value is more limited at the moment. His return work is elite, but he hasn’t made a consistent enough impact on offense yet.
If Denver and Mims can land on a number that works for both sides, a deal could happen. Still, he looks more like a special teams priority than the kind of player the Broncos need to rush to the front of the line.
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He has appeared in four games this season, giving the Broncos help as both a returner and a defensive back, which is exactly the kind of profile that can become more valuable when roster flexibility gets tight. With the team still sorting through the ripple effects of that earlier transaction, Fresch looks like a player Denver may need to elevate again sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]