The Denver Broncos came heartbreakingly close to punching their ticket to Super Bowl LX, but the offseason has already brought some tough decisions-and a clear signal that change is coming in Denver. This week, the team parted ways with three members of its coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, wide receivers coach Keary Colbert, and running backs coach Addison Lynch.
That’s just the beginning. With the new league year set to kick off on March 11, the Broncos are now turning their attention to the roster.
And while Denver isn’t in dire straits financially, every dollar counts when you’re trying to build a contender. That’s why a few notable names have surfaced as potential salary cap casualties.
Let’s take a closer look at three players who could be on the chopping block-not because they lack talent, but because the numbers might not add up in their favor.
Dre Greenlaw - Linebacker
Cap Savings if Cut (Pre-June 1): $6 million
This one stings. When the Broncos signed Dre Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million deal last spring, the hope was that he’d bring his trademark intensity and sideline-to-sideline speed to a defense on the rise. But injuries derailed that plan almost from the jump.
Greenlaw battled through a laundry list of issues-groin, ankle, hamstring, quad-and ultimately suited up for just eight games, playing 58% of the defensive snaps. That’s not what you want to see from a major free-agent investment, especially one in the heart of your defense.
The Broncos structured the deal with some flexibility, and that may come into play now. Cutting Greenlaw would save $6 million in cap space, and while it’s never easy to move on from a player with his upside, availability matters. If the front office believes they can’t rely on him to stay healthy, they may decide to cut their losses and reallocate those funds.
Matt Peart - Offensive Lineman
Cap Savings if Cut: $3.2 million
Peart’s situation is more straightforward. He was briefly elevated to a starting role at left guard, but things unraveled quickly.
In just 64 snaps, he committed three penalties before suffering a season-ending knee injury. That’s a tough break for a player trying to carve out a consistent role, but the NFL is a results-driven league.
The Broncos don’t have a ton of fat to trim on the roster, so even modest savings like the $3.2 million tied to Peart could be valuable. Denver needs to bolster its offensive line depth, and moving on from Peart could free up space to bring in a more durable, high-upside option.
Evan Engram - Tight End
Cap Savings if Cut: $3.8 million (with $10.3 million dead cap hit)
This is the trickiest name on the list. Evan Engram wasn’t a disaster by any stretch-he caught 50 passes for 461 yards and a touchdown-but he also didn’t quite live up to the expectations that came with his contract. Engram is currently slated to be the sixth-highest-paid tight end in the league next season, and that’s a tough pill to swallow for a player who wasn’t a focal point of the offense.
Cutting him would save $3.8 million, but it would also come with a hefty $10.3 million dead cap hit. That’s not a move you make lightly. Still, if the Broncos have their eye on another tight end who better fits their offensive vision-or if the new offensive coordinator wants to reshape the passing game-Engram could be a cap casualty.
That said, it’s not a no-brainer. Engram has the tools to be a difference-maker, and the bigger question might be why he wasn’t more involved this past season. If Denver can find a way to unlock his full potential-especially in the red zone-he could still be a valuable piece moving forward.
The Bottom Line
The Broncos are in a solid financial position, but they’re also staring down a pivotal offseason. With a new offensive coordinator on the way and a roster that’s close-but not quite there-every decision matters.
Greenlaw, Peart, and Engram all bring something to the table. But in the NFL, potential has to be weighed against production, durability, and cap flexibility. If Denver wants to make a serious push in 2026, tough calls like these are part of the process.