In an effort to go under the cap, the Denver Broncos have made some significant adjustments in recent weeks.
Russell Wilson, the quarterback, was cut by the Broncos after just two seasons of a hefty five-year, $242.5 million contract. In addition, they let go of Justin Simmons, their longest-tenured player and one of the league’s top safeties.
One thing was made clear by these actions: the Broncos are rebuilding. The Broncos might be reluctant to re-sign some of their free agents while they rebuild. Some of their free agents, though, might be too excellent to let go of and might end up signing new contracts that benefit the organization.
Here are a few of the top players the Broncos ought to sign again.
Wil Lutz
Kicker Brandon McManus was released by Denver before the 2023 season began. McManus was the longest-tenured Bronco until he was cut, and he was the only player from the team that won Super Bowl 50 still alive. Although McManus’ release came as a bit of a surprise, it soon became apparent that the Broncos wanted to cut costs.
During the preseason, Denver would see a plethora of kickers, but none of them were particularly good. The Broncos decided that in order to improve their kicker, they had to move. Thus, they traded kicker Wil Lutz to the New Orleans Saints in late August for a 2024 seventh-round pick. Lutz had known Sean Payton, the head coach, when they were both in New Orleans.
Though Lutz’s tenure in Denver got off to a bit of a rough start, he would finally regain his feet. In November, he would even win the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month award.
Lutz recorded an extra point percentage of 93.5% and a field goal percentage of 88.2% in 2023. 52 yards away was Lutz’s longest field goal of the year. He proved to be a dependable scorer for the Broncos when their offense would falter in the red zone, finishing with 119 points.
Even if Lutz doesn’t exactly have spectacular stats, an NFL club can’t overstate the value of having a trustworthy kicker. Is Lutz trustworthy? Say trustworthy enough for Denver. Good enough to keep, but not quite as secure as Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens. The Broncos probably don’t want to experience another carousel of kickers as they did during the previous preseason. Since Lutz has proven himself, why not sign him back to a contract that benefits the team?
Lloyd Cushenberry RECOMMENDED replacing the entire image within the box with a headshot of PJ Locke (Broncos), who has money signs on his eyes, and Sean Payton (head coach of the Broncos) as Ron Burgundy (keep the hair).
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Cushenberry was selected to start at center for the Broncos in 2020 as a rookie. It’s difficult to hold Cushenberry accountable because he has experienced three different coaching staffs in Denver. Cushenberry had one of his greatest seasons in 2023, guided by new Broncos offensive line coach Zach Strief, a former NFL tackle.
Cushenberry received a strong 73.2 overall PFF grade for the 2023 campaign. He received a 76.4 as a pass blocker, an even higher mark. Given that Cushenberry received five penalties in 2023, this was one of the main criticisms leveled at him. In addition, he gave up 14 pressures, four quarterback hits, and one sack.
Denver is more likely to sign Cushenberry back if he has a strong season, but he might have cost them too much. As previously stated, the Broncos have a very small amount of cap room available. Cushenberry may have priced himself out of Denver, as he is expected to receive a big salary. Cushenberry is expected to sign a four-year, $58.1 million contract, according to PFF. Teams yearning for a center may wind up paying too much for Cushenberry because he made the list of the top 100 upcoming free agents.
In any case, the Broncos ought to try to re-sign him.
Rachel Strand_headshot
Concerning the Writer
Credentialed beat reporter Rachel Strand covers the Denver Broncos and Nuggets for ClutchPoints. In addition, she hosts the Mile High Report podcast and is the creator of DailyDenverBroncos.
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Tags: NFL, Denver Broncos Independent Contractors