The Broncos will keep their starting offensive line together.
Four days after agreeing to terms with kicker Wil Lutz, they did the same with fourth-year center Luke Wattenberg, agreeing on a four-year deal worth up to $48 million with $27 million guaranteed. Terms of the deal were reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The contract allows the Broncos to keep together an offensive line that has emerged as one of the league’s finest over the last two seasons, with Wattenberg in particular becoming one of the NFL’s better centers in pass protection.
Wattenberg, left tackle Garett Bolles, left guard Ben Powers, right guard Quinn Meinerz and right tackle Mike McGlinchey are all under contract for next season, with Bolles and Meinerz both signing extensions with the Broncos in 2024.
Denver has one of just seven offensive lines to rank among the NFL’s top 10 in pass-block and run-block win rate per ESPN Analytics — ranking fourth and ninth in those categories, respectively, so far this season.
Individually, Wattenberg ranks seventh among 38 centers with at least 38 pass-blocking snaps in pressure rate this season, allowing pressures on 2.18 percent of his snaps, per data compiled by Pro Football Focus.
BRONCOS DEVELOPED WATTENBERG FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE MOVING HIM ONTO THE FIRST TEAM
Wattenberg moved into the starting lineup in 2024 after winning a three-way battle during training camp with Alex Forsyth and Sam Mustipher. He quickly settled into the position, using the lessons he gleaned by watching Lloyd Cushenberry work at center for most of the first two seasons of his career before his free-agent departure to Tennessee in the 2024 offseason.
Even though Cushenberry signed with the Titans two free-agent cycles ago, his average per-year contract value of $12.5 million will be $500,000 more than that of Wattenberg on this contract.
Wattenberg’s guarantee of $27 million is $1 million higher; according to data from OvertheCap.com, it represents the second-highest guarantee ever given to a center, exceeded only by the $35-million guarantee issued by the Chiefs to center Creed Humphrey.
The re-signing of Wattenberg is the fifth for the Broncos since the start of training camp; he joins Lutz, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, defensive end Zach Allen and edge rusher Nik Bonitto.
