Denver Broncos

Bo Nix

QB

Penner said in January that he had "zero concern" about Nix's recovery from a bone break in his right ankle, and the team owner echoed those comments Monday. "He's attacked his recovery in the same way that he attacks preparing for games and has just done a terrific job," Penner said of Nix. "He's ahead of schedule. No concerns at all for OTAs and go forward from there." Denver coach Sean Payton stated in February that he expects Broncos OTAs to start June 1, and Nix is trending toward being ready to participate by that date.

Jaylen Waddle

WR

Waddle's restructure opens up significant cap space for Denver. The Broncos acquired Waddle from Miami on March 17, and the 27-year-old wideout's explosiveness and athleticism should make him a dangerous 1-2 downfield punch alongside Courtland Sutton for quarterback Bo Nix in 2026. Head coach Sean Payton has praised Waddle's "grit" and "high, high [competitiveness]," as Andrew Mason of 104.3 The Fan reports.

Tycen Anderson

S

The fifth-round pick of the Bengals in 2022 has seen a grand total of 64 defensive snaps in his NFL career, though he has become a consistent special-teams player, seeing over 300 snaps in that role in each of the last two seasons. Anderson should compete for a depth safety and special-teams role in Denver, too.

Courtland Sutton

WR

In 17 regular-season games in 2025, Sutton parlayed his team-leading 124 targets into a 74-1,017-7 receiving line, with Troy Franklin next in line in terms of targets with 104. The addition of Waddle -- a 2021 first-rounder -- gives Denver a dynamic playmaker to pair with Sutton, providing the team with a strong 1-2 punch at wideout, supplemented by Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims, with Lil'Jordan Humphrey along with Michael Bandy rounding out the current WR depth chart. As the 2026 campaign approaches, Sutton isn't necessarily the Broncos' clear-cut top option at the position, a standing that Waddle has the upside to claim should he mesh well with franchise QB Bo Nix.

Ja'Quan McMillian

CB

It represents a significant raise for McMillian, who made $1.03 million in 2025. The 25-year-old cornerback joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has carved out a prominent role in Denver's secondary. He appeared in all 17 regular-season games last season, making three starts, and recorded 56 tackles (40 solo), including a career-high 4.0 sacks, nine pass breakups, including two interceptions, and a pair of forced fumbles. He's the team's No. 1 slot corner.

Jaleel McLaughlin

RB

Though the Broncos initially declined to offer McLaughlin a contract tender ahead of free agency, the 25-year-old will return to the team after all. The core of Denver's backfield thus remains unchanged from 2025, with J.K. Dobbins having also been re-signed and RJ Harvey back for his second year as a pro. In eight regular-season outings in 2025, McLaughlin carried 37 times for 187 yards and a TD, while adding four catches for 27 yards. Now that he's back in the fold, McLaughlin will reprise his depth role behind Dobbins and Harvey in 2026.

Lil'Jordan Humphrey

WR

Humphrey kicked off the 2025 campaign wearing a Giants uniform, but he was poached off New York's practice squad by the Broncos in advance of a Week 11 game against Kansas City and provided the team with depth at wideout behind Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims down the stretch. Now, heading into his age-28 season, Humphrey appears positioned to reprise a similar reserve role.

Adam Prentice

FB

Prentice opened the 2025 season on the Broncos' practice squad before being signed to the active roster in late September. He played in all 17 regular-season games and both of Denver's playoff tilts. Prentice saw some snaps on offense as a backfield blocker while also serving on special teams, and he should reprise those roles for the Broncos in 2026.

Matt Henningsen

DE

Henningsen missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his Achilles in training camp joint practices with the 49ers. He hasn't appeared in a regular-season game since 2023 and will compete for a job this offseason.

Lucas Krull

TE

Krull is re-upping with the Broncos via a one-year, $1.15 million deal, per Mike Klis of 9News Denver. The depth tight end was able to suit up for only the first three regular-season games of the 2025 campaign with Denver due to a foot injury, but he appeared to be nearing a return down the stretch of the team's playoff run and should be ready to participate in spring activities.

Alex Singleton

LB

Singleton's 2024 season was cut short due to a torn ACL, but the Montana State product bounced back in a big way in 2025. He led the Broncos in stops, finishing with 135 tackles (54 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and one forced fumble across 16 regular-season games, and he added another 26 combined tackles over Denver's two playoff games. Singleton has posted 100-plus tackles in five of seven NFL seasons, and his return solidifies the Broncos' interior linebacker corps that also includes Justin Strnad but not Dre Greenlaw after the latter was released Monday, per Stevens.

J.K. Dobbins

RB

It's no surprise Dobbins has chosen to return to the Broncos considering he expressed his desire to do so at his end-of-season press conference in January, describing himself as "a Bronco," per Luka Evans of the Denver Post. Dobbins has recovered from the foot injury that kept him out after Week 10 of the 2025 regular season. Prior to that point, Dobbins rushed for 772 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He'll likely return to a backfield split with 2025 second-round pick RJ Harvey moving forward.

Sam Ehlinger

QB

Ehlinger will remain in Denver after serving as the team's No. 3 quarterback behind Bo Nix (ankle) and Jarrett Stidham in 2025, ultimately never appearing in a contest. The 27-year-old likely will operate in a similar role next year with both Nix and Stidham still under contract.

Nate Adkins

TE

Adkins will remain in Denver for a fourth season after having caught six of 11 targets for 48 yards and a touchdown over nine regular-season contests in 2025. The tight end likely will continue to have limited upside on offense next season, operating behind the likes of Evan Engram and Adam Trautman, the latter of whom inked a three-year deal with the Broncos on Sunday.

Adam Trautman

TE

A favorite of coach Sean Payton, Trautman has spent time with the head coach in New Orleans and Denver and logged 57 percent of the offensive snaps across 17 regular-season games last season. Trautman doesn't do much on the stat sheet but is a trusted blocker. He secured 20 of 23 targets for 195 yards and one touchdown during the 2025 campaign.

Justin Strnad

LB

Strnad was drafted by Denver in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft and signed a one-year, $2.79 million deal to stay with the team last offseason. After spending three seasons as a core special teamer, the 29-year-old has emerged as a significant contributor on defense with 16 starts in 33 regular-season games over the last two years, tallying 131 tackles and 7.5 sacks over that span. Strnad should retain a consistent role behind starting inside linebackers Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw in 2026.

Tyler Badie

RB

Badie played in 16 regular-season games last year and totaled eight carries for 23 yards. He was more active as a pass catcher, corralling 19 of 31 targets for 141 yards, and as a kick returner, racking up 452 yards on 17 attempts. Badie will likely serve as a backup again next season, though there could be room for his role to expand depending on what Denver does to build its RB corps during the offseason. J.K. Dobbins (foot) will be an unrestricted free agent and Jaleel McLaughlin wasn't tendered, so only RJ Harvey is clearly ahead of Badie in the pecking order among the team's ball carriers who are certain to return.

Alex Palczewski

G

The offensive lineman has started 13 of the 31 regular-season games he's appeared in over the last two seasons for Denver. Palczewski has also seen time as a jumbo tight end, per Kosmider.

Michael Bandy

WR

Bandy spent the majority of the 2025 season on the Broncos' practice squad but made four regular-season appearances with the team, in which he secured all four of his targets for 50 yards and one touchdown. He was also elevated for the team's loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, but he was ultimately deemed a healthy scratch. Bandy will spend the offseason competing to reprise a similar depth role with Denver.

Brandon Jones

S

Jones was having a solid sixth season before suffering a pectoral injury in a Week 15 win over the Packers that required surgery to repair and landed him on injured reserve. The 27-year-old safety was unable to play in the Broncos' two playoff contests, but it appears he was a candidate to return to action if Denver made it to Super Bowl LX. Assuming he is back to full health next season, Jones should return to his starting free safety position as a key member of the Broncos' top-tier defense. The Texas product is entering the final year of his three-year deal with the Broncos before becoming a free agent in 2027.

Pat Surtain II

CB

Surtain had another strong season in 2025, although his one interception tied a career low for the veteran cornerback. The 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year produced similar numbers last season, but the decrease in interceptions is not the product of diminished skill. Instead, opposing quarterbacks avoided targeting him based on his abilities as a shutdown corner. In addition, the 25-year-old missed three games in the middle of the season due to a pectoral injury. Surtain is under contract with the Broncos through the 2029 season, so he'll continue to be one of the best defenders on a formidable defense for the foreseeable future.

Evan Engram

TE

Engram's first year in Denver was mostly a disappointment, as the tight end was not a major part of the offensive game plan most weeks. The veteran played over 50 percent of the offensive snaps just three times during the regular season, while teammate Adam Trautman saw the field as a blocking specialist more often. With that said, Engram still managed to finish third in receiving yards on the team behind Courtland Sutton (1,017) and Troy Franklin (709), as quarterback Bo Nix spread the ball around to several different pass catchers throughout the season. The 31-year-old remains under contract for the 2026 season, but based on his current usage in head coach Sean Payton's offense, he'll likely be difficult to trust for consistent fantasy production once again.

Johnny Walker Jr.

LB

questionable

Drew Sanders

LB

questionable

Matt Peart

OT

questionable