3 Broncos cut candidates entering 2026 offseason

The The Denver Broncos had a lot to be proud of in 2025but regardless, they enter another offseason feeling underwhelmed. With six starters becoming free agents in March, general manager George Patton will have a busy offseason in the coming months.

The Broncos are projected to have approx $26 million in cap spaceranking near the middle of the league. However, most of their efforts will be focused on retaining some of their top talent.

Linebacker Alec Singleton, center Luke Wattenberg, cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, running back JK Dobbins and defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers will hit the open market, but are all players Denver wants to keep. The front office could also be interested in re-signing running backs Jaleel McLaughlin, PJ Locke and defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour.

Patton has plenty of roster work to do before the summer, especially with the NFL Draft following free agency in April. The Broncos aren’t necessarily in run-back mode, but they’d like to keep as many pieces from their top-five defense as possible.

If they want to reach the next level, the Broncos need to be major players in the 2026 offseason. As they continue to improve each season under Sean Payton, Denver needs to make a big splash to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender. After making the 2025 AFC Championship Game, the Super Bowl is the new standard Payton has set in the Mile High City.

Before free agency begins, expect the Broncos to make a few cuts to give themselves more cap flexibility. Don’t be surprised to see several big players part ways with the franchise over the next few months.

The ever-inconsistent Evan Engram failed to live up to expectations again in 2025. He managed to stay healthy for most of the year, which was never a given, but finished the year with just 50 catches for 461 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Engram disappointed with the New York Giants, but turned his career around with a successful three-year run with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That stint gave reason to believe he would elevate Bo Nix’s receiving corps in 2025 as long as he stayed on the field.

Engram missed just one game all season, but finished the season with his worst numbers since his sophomore year in the league. Engram just didn’t fit into Sean Payton and Joe Lombardi’s offensive system as Denver had hoped.

The 31-year-old is signed through the 2026 season after signing a two-year deal in the 2025 offseason. However, with $16.5 million of his $23 million guaranteed contract, the Broncos could save about $3.8 million in dead cap space by cutting him this offseason. That number would increase to over $6 million if they wait until June 1st.

With players like David Njoku, Zach Ertz, Tyler Conklin, Noah Fant and Darren Waller available during the upcoming free agency period, the Broncos can find a suitable replacement for Engram who will be a better fit with the Knicks on a cheaper contract. Expect Denver to also use one of its day two or three selections on a tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft.

DT DJ Jones

The Broncos’ defensive line was arguably the best in the league in 2025, and most of their key players up front should return in 2026. Star Rush Nick Bonito and Jonathan Cooper have already signed multiyear extensions, while Zach Allen, DJ Jones, Malcolm Roach and Eiioma Uwazurike are each locked in for another year.

Allen and Jones have held down the front line for years, along with impending free agent John Franklin-Myers. Jones, however, became an expendable asset in the 2026 offseason.

Jones’ numbers haven’t dropped as he remains the Broncos’ top defensive lineman. He recorded 39 tackles in his ninth season while recording a career-high 3.5 sacks from his nose tackle position.

However, Jones, whose total contract makes him the 11th-highest-paid player on the roster, becomes a liability to his emerging teammates. Roach and Uwazurike have been dominant forces for the Broncos, with the latter emerging as part of Vance Joseph’s rotation in 2025. The two reserves have been used primarily as depth pieces, but are becoming too influential to ignore.

Despite starting just two games in 2025, Roach led Denver’s defensive linemen with 41 tackles on the year and tied for sixth on the team with four sacks in the regular season. He led the Broncos with two tackles and three tackles for loss in the postseason.

On the other hand, Uwazurike broke out with 39 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his third year. Recorded 10 tackles in the playoffs, tied Dre Greenlove for fourth on the team.

Roach and Uwazurike are better fits for Joseph’s defense than Jones and will soon be on contract extensions. The Broncos should place more value on two younger, more efficient players than Jones’ $29 million over the next two seasons. Denver can save

LB Dre Greenlove

The The Broncos took a big risk on Dre Greenlaw in the 2025 offseason when they gave him a three-year, $31.5 million deal despite playing just two games in 2024. The 28-year-old has been effective, if mostly unavailable, in his first season with the team.

Before Patton can make any decisions about Greenlaw, he must deal with a more pressing matter. Leading rusher Alex Singleton will become an unrestricted free agent, where he will likely receive significant attention. Despite a late-season injury scare, Singleton is on course to land another lucrative contract after making at least 120 tackles in five of the last six seasons.

Justin Strnad, who started eight games when Greenlaw was sidelined, will also hit the market after signing a one-year extension in 2025. Singleton is the No. 1 priority, but the Broncos would also like to bring Strnad back to a team deal.

If Denver keeps Singleton, Patton could explore potentially releasing Greenlaw after just one season. While still effective, Greenlaw hasn’t been the same player since tearing his Achilles tendon in a freak accident during Super Bowl LVIII.

The Broncos would save about 6 million dollars if they cut Greenlove before June 1, and over $8 million if they wait until after that date, according to Over The Cap. While the money isn’t a game-changer, it could give Patton additional flexibility to make a bigger move.

Denver would be happy to keep Greenlaw, who had 53 tackles in 10 games last season, including the playoffs. However, depending on how aggressive the Broncos are in the 2026 offseason, Greenlaw will be among the first names the team considers expendable.