The Denver Broncos have some starters heading to free agency in March. Here’s a few I hope the team attempts to re-sign before then.
A few days ago, we broke down the 2025 free agents list for the Denver Broncos. The good news is the lists isn’t full of key starters that will negatively impact the roster overall, so that gives Denver some flexibility if they cannot reach any agreements to re-sign many from this list.
Denver Broncos 2025 pending free agents
- NT D.J. Jones
- QB Zach Wilson
- QB Jarrett Stidham
- CB/ST Tremon Smith
- LB Cody Barton
- RB Javonte Williams
- P Riley Dixon
- LB Justin Strnad
- OT Matt Peart
- LB Zach Cunningham
- FB Michael Burton
- WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
- OL Quinn Bailey
I left off any restricted or exclusive-rights free agents as the team has more flexibility in keeping those guys on the roster. The above list is the list of players who will become unrestricted free agents in early March.
Who should the Broncos absolutely try to re-sign?
Riley Dixon. That’s it.
The rest of the names on the list that they could re-sign are not must-haves. Riley Dixon finished one of the top punters in the league and actually led the NFL with six punts downed at the one yard line. The next best team had three.
With 6 punts downed at the 1, Riley Dixon and the Bronco punt team was the best in the league. Cardinals had 3 downed at the 1 and were in second place, but only had six more downed at the 2-10 yard lines. pic.twitter.com/oTSlktXtWW
— Joe Mahoney (@ndjomo76) January 16, 2025
Having a guy who can help win the field position battle is important and punters are generally inexpensive in the grand scheme of things, so why not lock down one of the best in the business?
What about ‘nice to have’ players to re-sign?
Of the pending unrestricted players, I think these guys would fit the ‘nice to have’ category but not necessarily a big deal if Denver decides not to make any offers for.
Matt Peart. The former 2020 third-round pick can be an inexpensive option for depth along the offensive line. At 27, he is likely entering his peak years and while he may not be a starter in the NFL he is capable and has game experience.
Michael Burton. Burton will turn 33 this year, so he is getting near the end of his career. However, he just finished the top ranked fullback by Pro Football Focus this past season. I wouldn’t mind seeing him back for at least one more year in Denver.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Yeah, I know. I can already hear the comments on this one. The fact is, he was the Broncos best blocking wide receiver and that is likely the primary reason he got so many snaps last season. If Denver is to become an efficient running team — as Sean Payton likely wants — then having a guy like Humphrey can help. At the right asking price, anyway.
Quinn Bailey. Like Peart above, the Broncos can never have enough depth along the offensive line. Bailey was going to be a huge part in the Broncos running game as the sixth offensive lineman before his season-ending injury. I am sure Payton would like to get him back in 2025. If not, they’ll be looking for a guy to fit that role.
What about the rest?
D.J. Jones. I think Jones had a fine season last year, but the depth along the interior defensive line was outstanding. I think this gives Denver flexibility here and with Jones hitting 30, they may not be looking to spend as much as Jones will be looking for as a free agent.
Javonte Williams. Before Williams blew out his knee he was a tackle-breaking violent runner who averaged 4.4 yards per carry in his first season plus. Since then he has been mostly ineffective and averaging nearly a full yard per carry less over the last two seasons. In short, he hasn’t been the same. I think a lot of fans like myself still think of Javonte in a fond way, but this offseason will be a convenient way to move on without any hard feelings. Hopefully he catches on somewhere and recovers some of that lost burst.
The Quarterbacks. Bo Nix is the guy in Denver. So how much should Denver be willing to spend on backup quarterbacks? If Bo goes down the team is likely screwed anyway, so I would guess the need for high-priced capable backup quarterbacks are less important now that Nix has proven he is a dude in the NFL. Probably okay to move on from both Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.
Everyone else. I don’t think it’ll be a huge deal if the Broncos let everyone else on the list move on. It is clear the Broncos need upgrades at inside linebacker, so why bring back the guys you are trying to upgrade from?
We’ll do individual breakdowns of each unrestricted free agent over the next two and a half weeks as well. This is the most important offseason for Denver in recent memory and we at Mile High Report plan to cover and discuss every step of the way.
As for their pending free agents, which players should they try to re-sign? Did I miss anyone? Share in the comments section below.