When teams have a quarterback on a draft pick contract, it’s common to see them spend a lot of money on other positions to take advantage of that contract. Draft pick contracts pay quarterbacks much less money than starters typically make.
What differs among these teams is where they allocate the most money (at what positions) and cap space. While some may spend a lot on offensive skill positions, the Denver Broncos have gone a different direction on offense.
When it comes to offense, the Broncos have devoted more of their salary cap and cash to the offensive line. This makes sense, given that a quality offensive line can do a lot to help with the development of a young quarterback like Bo Nix. The quarterback can spend more time learning to make reads in the pocket rather than having to scramble or extend plays sooner than expected, and fewer hits mean a lower opportunity for injury.
The Broncos are currently paying four starting offensive linemen on veteran contracts, with the fifth still on a draft pick deal. The Broncos are also committing a fair amount of money for a swing tackle, while other depth players are on cheaper contracts.
Let’s examine the team's most notable offensive linemen to understand how much of the Broncos’ resources have been devoted to the unit.
Mike McGlinchey | RT
- 2025 cap hit: $23.775M
- 2025 cash committed: $17.5M
A 2023 free-agent signing, McGlinchey was given a three-year commitment from the Broncos. He was inconsistent in his first season but played better last year.
McGlinchey’s 2025 salary is fully guaranteed, but his guarantees run out after this year. The Broncos could move on in 2026 if they wish, but if he plays well again, the team might be inclined to keep him.
Garett Bolles | LT
- 2025 cap hit: $5.816M
- 2025 cash spent: $17M
Bolles got a four-year extension from the Broncos midway through the 2024 season. His contract includes an option bonus for 2025, which would lower his cap number if exercised by September 1. His cap hit listed assumes the option will be exercised.
Either way, Bolles is due a significant sum of fully guaranteed money and his full guarantees will run through 2026. He has no guaranteed money due after 2026, allowing the Broncos the ability to move on, but if he continues to play well, the Broncos may be inclined to keep him.
Ben Powers | OG
- 2025 cap hit: $17.425M
- 2025 cash spent: $12M
Powers signed a four-year deal with the Broncos in 2023. He has been a bit inconsistent, but he comes at a reasonable salary, particularly when compared to other guards. Just $1.5M of his 2025 salary is fully guaranteed, but the remainder will become guaranteed if he’s on the 53-man roster in Week One of the regular season.
The Broncos could get out of the deal in 2026 if necessary and save $8.65M in cap space and $12M in cash. It’s not a given that the Broncos will cut him, but the ability to move on is there if the Broncos believe it’s necessary.
Quinn Meinerz | OG
- 2025 cap hit: $5.525M
- 2025 cash spent: $11.445M
Meinerz got a four-year extension before the start of the 2024 regular season. The contract included an option bonus that the Broncos exercised, which allowed them to lower his cap charge.
Meinerz's cap charge will increase to $20.221M next season, and he still has a significant amount of money that’s fully guaranteed for 2026. The Broncos have the option to trade him, but barring that, they will be committed to Meinerz for the next two seasons.
Luke Wattenberg | C
- 2025 cap hit: $1.172M
- 2025 cash spent: $1.1M
Wattenberg has the cheapest contract among the starting offensive linemen from last season. He’s in the final year of his contract, and the Broncos will need to decide if he’s worth extending.
As I’ve previously discussed, the best option would be for the Broncos to let the 2025 season play out before extending him. If they do, Wattenberg likely won’t re-set the market, but he’ll be due more money than what he is currently receiving.
Matt Peart | OT
- 2025 cap hit: $2.75M
- 2025 cash spent: $3.245M
Peart signed with the Broncos last year on a one-year deal. He did a solid job as the swing tackle, stepping in at left tackle whenever Bolles got dinged up.
The Broncos are committing more money to Peart than they are to Wattenberg, but they can move on from Peart in 2026, as long as he's healthy. That’s because his 2026 salary of $3.075M is guaranteed for injury.
Other Players
- Calvin Throckmorton is due $1.17M in base salary. He will be a restricted free agent next season.
- Alex Forsyth is due $1.03M in base salary. He is currently under contract through 2026.
- Alex Palczewski is due $960K in base salary. He will be a restricted free agent next season.
- Frank Crum is due $960K in base salary. He is currently under contract through 2026.
The Broncos have other players who were either signed to futures contracts or are undrafted players. They will compete for roster spots but they aren’t due more than $960,000 this season.
Total Commitments
The Broncos have committed $53.713M in cap space to the starting offensive line. Add in the top backups and it comes to nearly $60M in cap space.
As for cash commitments, the Broncos are spending a little more than $59M on the starting offensive line. Include the top backups and it comes to a little more than $66M.
What it All Means
The Broncos have invested a lot in the offensive line. Again, that’s a good thing for Nix, because a good offensive line buys him more time to make reads in the pocket and doesn’t put as much pressure on him to extend plays.
The amount of money the Broncos commit to the offensive line could change in the future, though. It’s not just because Nix would be eligible for an extension in 2027, but there are skill position players on offense who could be in line for extensions, too.
An ideal situation would be for the Broncos to draft a guard next season to give them a potential replacement for Powers. In 2027, the Broncos need to get serious about drafting an offensive tackle as they will need a replacement for McGlinchey.
Bolles and Meinerz are both under contract through 2028 and, as long as they stay healthy and play well, the Broncos don’t have to think too much about their replacements in the immediate future. But because their cap charges will increase, that’s all the more reason for the Broncos to draft a guard and offensive tackle in the coming seasons to get potential starters on cheaper contracts.
There’s also the question to answer about the center position. If the Broncos opt to let Wattenberg depart in free agency, they need to decide how much they want to commit to another veteran or go with younger players on the roster. If the latter, it would be good to draft a center for competition.
The Broncos are fine to commit the resources they have to the offensive line for the time being. But when it comes time for Nix and certain skill position players to get new deals, they’ll have to adjust accordingly.
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