The Broncos have gone 4-2 through six games, and the latest win only sharpened the conversation around the roster’s future. Denver survived another wild one at home, outlasting the Seattle Seahawks in overtime, and with more than a third of the regular season in the books, three defensive backs have already made a strong case for new deals.
Brandon Jones belongs at the front of that list. The veteran safety is in the final year of the three-year contract he signed in 2024 after four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, and he’s putting together a year that looks ready to outpace what he did last season.
Jones has two interceptions, four passes defended, and 43 total tackles through six games. By comparison, in 14 games in 2025, he finished with one interception, seven passes defended, and 78 total tackles.
The production isn’t limited to the box score, either. Pro Football Reference has Jones allowing a 73.7 passer rating in coverage across his 36 career Broncos games. He’s the kind of player who can do a little bit of everything, and even if he isn’t the loudest name on the market, Denver made him one of its first free-agent additions back in 2024 for a reason.
Talanoa Hufanga has made a similarly strong argument. The safety already has two interceptions this season after failing to pick one off last year despite, as the source puts it, about 19 chances. That breakout has come on top of an already impressive résumé: a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2022, then a second-team All-Pro with the Broncos in 2025.
Hufanga’s game has never been built around polished coverage work, but this year he’s allowing a 16.1 passer rating, and his physical style still jumps off the screen. He can line up near the line of scrimmage without hesitation, while still offering enough on the back end to matter. He has one more year left on his contract, but there’s no real downside to adding another season to keep him in Denver longer.
Then there’s Ja’Quan McMillian, who may be the strongest overall extension candidate of the three. It’s fair to wonder whether the Broncos would extend three different defensive backs, but it’s not hard to argue all three deserve it - and McMillian’s case is especially compelling.
He has built a reputation for delivering in the biggest moments, and that hasn’t changed over the last three seasons. He started making his presence felt in 2023, became more of a fixture in 2024 and 2025, and then showed up again in Week 6 by intercepting Sam Darnold in overtime and helping get Denver into field goal range.
McMillian’s value goes beyond clutch plays. He isn’t just a splashy defender who lives on volatility.
He’s been productive everywhere, including the backfield, with four sacks last year and two already this season. Since the start of 2024, he has added 11 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits.
His coverage numbers have also steadily improved: he’s allowing a 63.9 passer rating right now, better than his 2025 mark of 74.2 and his 2024 mark of 85.7.
He did receive a significant raise this year, but he’s not under contract beyond 2026. At 26, and with every game since the start of 2024 under his belt, including playoff contests, McMillian looks like the most natural extension candidate of the group. The undrafted free agent has grown into one of the league’s best slot corners, and Broncos fans have noticed.
In Other News...
Bo Nix Is Taking Heat For A Broncos Concern Fans Know Too Well
Bo Nixs afternoon against the Seahawks only sharpened a conversation that has been building around the Broncos quarterback, even as Denver remains 4-2 and in a solid early-season position. He completed 17 of 27 passes for 107 yards with no touchdown passes, the lowest passing total of his young season and his first game without finding the end zone through the air.
The issue isnt just one rough stat line, either. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Colin Cowherd both took aim at Nixs playing style, pointing to the frequent checkdowns and the lack of downfield production that can make the offense feel narrower than it should be. For a Broncos team trying to prove it can win with more than just efficiency and defense, the concern is familiar enough to linger. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Is Already Fueling A Brutal Broncos Debate
Bo Nixs Sunday against the Seahawks did not help quiet the conversation around how the Broncos want their young quarterback to operate. He completed 17 of 27 passes for 107 yards, and the lack of push downfield stood out in a game where Denver needed more from the passing attack. The Broncos are still 4-2, but this was Nixs quietest outing through the air so far and the first time this season he did not throw a touchdown pass.
The reaction around the performance came quickly, with media voices like Ryan Fitzpatrick and Colin Cowherd zeroing in on his tendency to settle for checkdowns instead of challenging defenses deeper. For a Broncos team trying to build around him, that kind of critique is more than background noise because it speaks directly to the style they think can work long term. The bigger question now is whether this was just a rough afternoon or a sign of a debate that is only going to get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Win May Have Just Changed George Patons Deadline Thinking
The Broncos overtime win over the Seahawks kept a promising start moving in the right direction at 4-2, and it may also have nudged George Patons thinking as the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline creeps closer. Denvers defense has been a big reason for that early momentum, with the secondary looking especially sturdy even as the front office continues to weigh what the roster might need over the next few weeks.
Part of the intrigue is how the young corners have helped steady things, making the conversation around the back end of the defense a little more complicated than it seemed earlier in the season. Patrick Surtain IIs contract-year situation adds another layer, but for now there has been no reported trade move, leaving Denver in the familiar spot of being good enough to matter and close enough to the deadline to keep the questions coming. [Read more 🡒]