The first phase of the Denver Broncos' offseason programs starts on May 9 with a rookie minicamp, followed by voluntary workouts May 27-29 and June 3-5. With weeks until the full-team voluntary workouts, one veteran isn't likely to be there on May 27: defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.
According to Chris Tommasson of The Denver Gazette, Franklin-Myers has been working out in Dallas with prestigious pass rush coach BT Jordan throughout the offseason and is expected to skip the initial OTA session.
"Broncos DE John Franklin-Myers is spending several weeks this spring working out with pass-rush specialist BT Jordan in Dallas. Although JFM hasn’t been at Broncos offseason workouts, he could attend 2nd OTA session June 3-5 & definitely will be at June 10-12 mandatory minicamp," Tomasson posted on X.
Franklin-Myers spent time working with Jordan last offseason, and the coach even came and worked with the Broncos' pass rushers, something that could also happen this year, especially after Denver led the NFL in sacks. It's no secret that Franklin-Myers is looking for a new contract extension from the Broncos; he's made that clear.
Could Franklin-Myers be sending a message to the Broncos? Doubtful.
When players want to send a message about their contract, they typically skip the mandatory workouts. It's called a 'hold-out.' But based on Tomasson's report, Franklin-Myers will "definitely" be there for the mandatory minicamp.
Also, if this were meant to be some kind of message, Franklin-Myers would likely make it known that he plans to skip the second voluntary OTA camp in June, too. He isn’t expected at the first one, but he's planning on being there for the second one. He's likely sticking to a routine he's had for a few years.
The pass rusher is coming off a career year after the Broncos acquired him via trade from the New York Jets during the 2024 draft. Understandably, he's looking for a new contract from the Broncos, as he proved himself to be a difference-maker, even if he wasn’t the one always making the play.
When it comes to messages, though, Denver sent one to Franklin-Myers during the 2025 draft by trading up to select LSU defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones, whom the team could be earmarking to replace the veteran after the 2025 season.
While the Broncos could still get a deal done with Franklin-Myers, positional budgeting in the wake of D.J. Jones' extension and the anticipated deal to come for All-Pro Zach Allen (also entering a contract year) may make it difficult to get that extension done. It all comes down to how much Franklin-Myers is asking for, and he could reasonably be seeking a deal north of $20 million per year, based on some of the defensive line contracts handed out this offseason and his production.
As with Sutton last year, Franklin-Myers can earn goodwill by not skipping out on the mandatory workouts, which may be why he's currently only expected to skip one of them and not both. Attending the mandatory minicamp would also avoid a potential fine.
