The Denver Broncos will begin NFL Free Agency on March 12th at 2:00 p.m. MT, and they’ll have a handful of players who were on the roster in 2024 who will hit the free agency market. Which players could be more likely to re-sign than others?
Denver Broncos 2025 unrestricted free agents
The Denver Broncos will have 13 total players who will be designated as unrestricted, which means that when the new league year rolls around they’ll be free to negotiate with any NFL team in searching for a new contract.
Here is the list of Broncos players who will be unrestricted.
- Defensive tackle D.J. Jones
- Inside linebacker Cody Barton
- Inside linebacker Justin Strnad
- Running back Javonte Williams
- Punter Riley Dixon
- Fullback Michael Burton
- Wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey
- Offensive tackle Matt Peart
- Quarterback Jarrett Stidham
- Quarterback Zach Wilson
- Cornerback Tremon Smith
- Offensive lineman Quinn Bailey
- Inside linebacker Zach Cunningham
Jones is the Broncos’ biggest in-house priority free agent going into the new league year, and his status is probably the most important one to gain clarity on.
He’s been an impactful player for Denver’s run game, consistently producing in the A and B-gaps for the Broncos defense. Jones should be Denver’s first in-house priority.
After that, the backup quarterback job behind starter Bo Nix becomes one of the next important items to figure out. Jarrett Stidham was the backup this year and Zach Wilson was the third emergency quarterback — both are set to become unrestricted free agents.
If quarterback coach Davis Webb gets a coordinator job in the offseason, either one of these two players would be a name to watch in terms of potentially following him. From a skillset standpoint, Wilson might be the best fit for the Broncos to be the backup behind Nix.
After a rough couple of seasons, Javonte Williams will be the next name to keep an eye on. Ever since suffering a major knee injury in 2022, Williams’ has been trying to find consistent footing in the run game. He had several games this season where he looked like his rookie self, running through contact and getting extra yards after contact, but his role in the run game started to dissipate toward the end of the season, and he ended up playing a little bit more of the role Samaje Perine played for them in 2023.
He’ll his free agency and the current vibe on the market is that Denver won’t likely prioritize him as somebody they’ll look to bring back unless he’s available in the later waves of free agency. Running back is a position many believe head coach Sean Payton will revamp.
Inside linebacker will also be a priority position for them. As it currently stands, Alex Singleton, Levelle Bailey, and Drew Sanders will be the only three players at the position who will be back in 2025. Singleton is coming off of an ACL injury and Sanders would be returning to the position after spending the middle half of 2023 at outside linebacker.
Sanders also transitioned from outside back to off-ball in the latter half of 2024 after he returned from the torn Achilles he suffered in April of last season.
Broncos Restricted Free Agents
The Denver Broncos have one restricted free agent on their roster going into free agency. Long-snapper Mitchell Fraboni is the lone wolf and will likely be back with the team.
A player who is a restricted free agent differs from someone who is unrestricted. A restricted free agent is a player who has three accrued seasons, and their markets are different based on several tenders that can be placed on them.
Teams can designate a player with a first-round, second-round, and a right of first refusal designation that basically ensures the team has the best chances of retaining that player. If Denver were to place a first-round tender on a restricted free agent, a team interested in signing that player would have to give the Broncos a first-round pick, a second-round pick if a second-round tender was placed on him, etc.
All of this is to say that Fraboni will likely be back with Denver without the team having to place a tender on him. He’s been a valuable asset to the Broncos special teams unit and it would be a shocker if the team let him go elsewhere.
Broncos exclusive rights free agents
The Broncos have five players who will be exclusive rights free agents. These players are listed below.
- Cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian
- Tight end Lucas Krull
- Safety Devon Key
- Outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman
- Defensive lineman Jordan Jackson
An exclusive rights free agent is a player who has two accrued NFL seasons and their contract is expiring. All that is required for a player who is an ERFA to return is to have a qualifying offer extended to them by the team.
It is expected that McMillian, Krull, Key, Tillman, and Jackson will likely receive a qualifying offer to return to Denver this offseason, with all players having an important role for the team this past season, with some of them being tagged as developmental talents.
Which players do you think the Broncos will bring back? Let us know @MileHighSports and @CodyRoarkNFL on social media.
