The Denver Gazette sports business insider is a reader’s guide to understanding the influence of money, politics and power behind their favorite leagues, teams and players.
Sports business insider: The top five highest-paid Broncos players are projected to earn more than $91 million combined during the upcoming NFL season.
Short version: The Denver Gazette compiled public salary cap data (via spotrac.com) to examine the five highest-paid Broncos players for the 2025 season.
1. RT Mike McGlinchey: $23,775,000 cap hit
2. WR Courtland Sutton: $20,200,000 cap hit
3. DE Zach Allen: $19,795,000 cap hit
4. G Ben Powers: $17,425,000 cap hit
5. DE John Franklin-Myers: $10,000,000 cap hit
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Long version: The Broncos are heavily invested in their lines on offense and defense with four-of-five on the above list playing in the trenches.
On the offensive line, McGlinchey ranks among the team’s most polished vocal leaders in addition to making 29 regular-season starts over his last two seasons in Denver. Powers has not missed a start in his two seasons with the Broncos. On the defensive line, Allen returns after a second-team All Pro selection in 2024. Franklin-Myers enters the final year of his contract following a career-best seven sacks a year ago.
Sutton is the only offensive skill player to crack the top five. He’s also set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he does not sign an extension with the Broncos. Sutton is another team leader with significant production — 379 catches for 5,340 yards and 32 touchdowns over seven NFL seasons.
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Key context: The compensation in NFL contracts is most often only partially guaranteed.
Player earnings can be guaranteed for three different purposes — skill, salary cap and/or injury — based on the contract. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson received the most fully guaranteed money at signing in league history with $230 million in 2022.
Injury-only guarantees are the most common partial guarantees in NFL contracts.
Looking ahead: Broncos rookies will report to training camp on July 16 and veterans on July 22.