The Denver Broncos acquired interior defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers in a trade with the New York Jets last year. As a Bronco, he would produce seven sacks, a career high, along with 21 pressures.
Franklin-Myers has hinted that he would like a new contract. He's set to make $7.5 million this season, after renegotiating the final two years of a four-year, $55 million deal he signed with the Jets in 2021.
As Franklin-Myers enters his eighth NFL season, how much is he worth in a new contract? Let's examine what might be his market.
Comparing JFM to Edge Rushers
Over The Cap lists Franklin-Myers as an edge rusher, even though he has played as a 3-4 interior lineman for the Broncos. That puts him toward the lower end of veteran edge rushers in terms of his current average-per-year salary.
If Franklin-Myers is treated as an edge rusher, what might he get in a new deal? One thing to keep in mind is that he's never reached double-digit sacks and has never had at least 30 pressures in a single season. His career-high in pressures was 27 in 2023, his final season with the Jets.
However, a comparison might be drawn with Alex Highsmith of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though Highsmith had 14.5 sacks in 2022, he had 28 pressures and was seen more as a complementary edge rusher to T.J. Watt, who is one of the best in the NFL.
Highsmith signed a four-year, $68M extension in 2023, but got just $17M in full guarantees and $27.7M in total guarantees.
Another comparison might be made to Bryce Huff, who signed a three-year, $51.1M contract in 2024 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Huff set career highs in 2023 for sacks in a single season with 10 and pressures in a single season with 33, but that came in a rotational role.
Comparing JFM to Interior Defenders
If teams see Franklin-Myers as an interior defender, as the Broncos have him play, the market is slightly different.
Osa Odighizuwa might be a comparable player. The Dallas Cowboys interior defender had just 4.5 sacks in 2024 but had 33 total pressures, the most he's had in a single season. He re-signed with the Cowboys for four years at $80M with $39M fully guaranteed.
The other player might be Leonard Williams, who put up 11 sacks and 30 pressures in 2024 but hadn't reached that level of production since 2020. His numbers have been closer to Franklin-Myers in the majority of his NFL seasons. Williams is in the final year of a three-year, $64.5M deal he signed back in 2023.
What It Means for JFM
Franklin-Myers might see more money if teams view him as an interior defender rather than an edge rusher. He's not going to reset the market either way, but it wouldn't surprise if he seeks a deal that surpasses the one he signed with the Jets in 2021
Franklin-Myers might best be slotted in at a four-year deal between $64M and $68M if treated as an edge rusher, but bumped up a bit if treated as an interior defender. The question is whether the Broncos are willing to pay him that much money, particularly with Zach Allen being a more productive player and Nik Bonitto being several years younger.
Bottom Line
It's possible the Broncos agree to add incentives to Franklin-Myers' contract for 2025, then allow him to leave in free agency. A trade before the season can't be ruled out, but that depends a lot on how other players perform in training camp.
Regardless, it's hard to see the Broncos keeping Franklin-Myers beyond 2025. It's not as much a question of price as it is a question of priorities. He's a good player, but he's not as high on the priority list as Zach Allen or Nik Bonitto.
