Ben Powers has not received a king\u2019s ransom for his troubles. The opposite, actually.<\/p>\n
On Monday, sources with knowledge of Powers\u2019 contract confirmed to The Denver Post that the eighth-year Broncos guard has accepted a pay cut, whittling away a significant chunk of salary from one of the most expensive players on Denver\u2019s 2026 roster. The exact number of Powers\u2019 new salary is currently unknown, but a source told The Post the Broncos cut down Powers\u2019 base salary \u2014 originally $12.5 million \u2014 and added slightly to his 2026 signing bonus ($5.4 million).<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a noble agreement for Powers, who has been the subject of consistent cut speculation entering the final season of a four-year, $52 million contract signed in 2023<\/a>. After suffering a left biceps tear in the Broncos\u2019 Week 5 win over Philadelphia, Powers was placed on injured reserve and missed much of Denver\u2019s 2025 season before returning in Week 16. That, it turns out, wasn\u2019t all.<\/p>\n A source confirmed to The Post that Powers suffered a Lisfranc injury \u2014 the same affliction that knocked out running back J.K. Dobbins for the season<\/a> \u2014 in that Week 16 return against the Jaguars. Powers, who had previously started every game for the Broncos at left guard in 2023 and 2024, played through the broken foot for four remaining regular-season and playoff games in 2025.<\/p>\n Still, Powers stood to enter the 2026 season with the second-largest cap hit ($18.2 million) on the Broncos\u2019 roster. A source with knowledge of the talks told The Post that the club approached Powers in late February about a potential pay cut and there was real trade buzz afoot for the 29-year-old guard.<\/p>\n Denver, ultimately, told Powers they wouldn\u2019t move him or touch his contract March 5, sources previously told The Post<\/a>. After Lisfranc surgery in the spring, Powers would not have been able to pass a physical, which would have made trading him difficult or impossible. After Powers was cleared for training camp recently, though, the two sides went back to the table.<\/p>\n The Broncos, now, will reduce the bill on an expensive front five, as the club has invested considerably into preserving offensive-line continuity in front of third-year quarterback Bo Nix. According to salary-cap data from Spotrac<\/a>, Denver was set to commit roughly 18% of its 2026 cap allocations to its starting five offensive linemen, before Powers\u2019 pay cut.<\/p>\n Powers, now, will head into his fourth training camp as the Broncos\u2019 established starter at left guard. He could face competition, though, from recently-extended reserve<\/a> Alex Palczewski \u2014 who started 10 games in Powers\u2019 place in 2025 \u2014 and fourth-round rookie Kage Casey, who worked at left guard through the Broncos\u2019 offseason program this summer.<\/p>\n