The Broncos got more than they expected from Justin Strnad last year, and he did so well that by the postseason, he got the starting nod ahead of Dre Greenlaw as the latter returned from a hamstring injury. But has Strnad played his way into a more robust opportunity elsewhere?

PLAYER: Justin Strnad
POSITION: Inside linebacker
AGE: 29
CURRENT CONTRACT: One year, $2.875 million
EXPERIENCE: Six seasons, all with the Broncos
SPOTRAC CONTRACT PROJECTION: $3,819,398 per year

KEY STATS:

Notched a career-high 4.5 sacks and 8 quarterback hits in 2025
Has started 16 games over the last two seasons after playing no defensive snaps in the 2022 and 2023 seasons
Allowed a 63.0 passer rating as the nearest defender in coverage last season, ranking seventh among 98 linebackers with at least 100 coverage snaps per Next Gen Stats
Ranked 11th in hit rate and 29th in pressure rate among 74 linebackers with at least 30 pass-rush snaps in 2025, per Pro Football Focus data

WHY THE BRONCOS COULD BRING HIM BACK

If the Broncos were to work out a multi-year deal with him now, he could be affordable; they could likely work a contract that falls into a similar range as that of Cody Barton last year, who left the Broncos to sign with the Tennessee Titans on a three-year, $21-million deal. That would be slightly more than the team gave Alex Singleton three years ago on a per-year basis ($6 million average per year).

If it comes down to a choice of Singleton or Strnad, the 2025 data reveals some interesting comparisons. Strnad had the better performance in coverage, as well as in pressure and hit rate in the pass rush. Singleton was the more reliable tackler, with a lower missed-tackle rate over the course of the season. Singleton also ranked much higher in run-stop rate per PFF data — 16th of 99 inside linebackers with at least 100 opportunities; Strnad was nearly dead in the middle, at 49th.

WHY THE BRONCOS WOULD LET HIM WALK

They could opt to bring back Singleton and roll with the intended starting duo at the position, a combination that made just six starts last season.

But another factor to consider is the idea of resetting at the position, capitalizing off of a free-agent crop that includes Devin Lloyd, Devin Bush, Nakobe Dean, Leo Chenal and Bobby Wagner, and a draft class that could see at least four off-ball linebackers off the board in the first 50 picks, with strong depth beyond them.

The same considerations that exist in the Singleton decision carry forward for Strnad, and are amplified given that Strnad is three years younger with more tread on his tires. Singleton could plausibly be a bridge to a draft pick; Strnad is more likely to sign a contract and be considered a multi-year solution.

THE OUTLOOK:

As was the case last year with Barton, it is likely that a team will offer Strnad a chance to start, thus, any chance of the Broncos bringing him back before the legal-tampering period begins likely rests on the team being able to offer him the same assurance.

Doing so would mean moving on from either Greenlaw or Alex Singleton. With Singleton, it’s a matter of not re-signing him; the Broncos would need to release or trade Greenlaw, but that’s a plausible move; the Broncos would create $6.023 million of cap space with $4.333 million of dead money if they part ways with him. The 2025 savings increases to $8.19 million with a post-June 1 designation.

Expect Strnad to be in someone’s starting lineup in Week 1. But his emergence last year in relief made it less likely that would be the Broncos’ opening defensive XI.