After making nearly 50 transactions in late August to finalize a 53-man roster, the Denver Broncos are now one week into the 2023 NFL season with little salary cap space to spare.
After roster cuts, the Broncos are left with just $813,137 in remaining cap space, according to an estimate from OverTheCap.com on Friday. And that’s after the team restructured Tim Patrick’s contract to get some cap cushion.
That number accounts for the players on injured reserve who will cost more than $18 million against the cap this year, and it also includes the 17 players on the practice squad who add up to about $4.2 million in cap space.
Denver generally likes to go into the season with around $10 million in available cap space, leaving room for in-season signings, trades and possible in-season extensions. Unless they make additional restructures, the team will have little room for error during the 2023 season.
The most notable Broncos players who will be in line for extensions next are members of the team’s 2021 draft class, headlined by star cornerback Pat Surtain. His contract includes a fifth-year option, giving the team more time to get a long-term deal done.
Other players from that class with contracts set to expire after next season include running back Javonte Williams, outside linebacker Baron Browning and guard Quinn Meinerz. Denver receiver Jerry Jeudy is also set to play on his fifth year option in 2024 before becoming a free agent in 2025.
Any cap space the Broncos do not use this season will roll over and be added to the team’s 2024 cap total.
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]