Training camp could get awkward fast if the Broncos don’t settle this first

It's finally July, which means the Denver Broncos open training camp this month. It's always wild how it feels like the NFL offseason drags on by, and yet how fast it goes every single year. The 2025 football season is nearly upon us, and there is a lot of business to be taken care of before the start of camp.

The Broncos, in particular, have a lot of contract situations looming for key players on the roster, players who are part of this team's core and foundation. Second-team All-Pro Zach Allen, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, defensive linemen John Franklin-Myers, and Pro Bowl pass rusher Nik Bonitto are just a few names of players who are entering the final year of their respective contracts with the Broncos.

General manager George Paton said earlier this offseason that contract situations would be addressed "after the draft". While contracts in the NFL are absolutely more difficult to pull off than simply throwing numbers on a sheet haphazardly and two sides signing on the dotted line, these are all situations that could get awkward fast if the Broncos don't get some deals done.

Broncos under a bit of pressure to get contracts done before (or during) training camp

We're seeing some interesting situations around the league leave some dark clouds over otherwise extremely positive situations. Terry McLaurin's contract situation has cast a dark cloud over the Washington Commanders' otherwise bright future. TJ Watt is one of a few superstar defenders unhappy in his contract situation with the Steelers. Trey Hendrickson did not report to mandatory minicamp with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Up to this point, the Broncos have avoided any sort of on-field holdouts from players. That could be a great sign of where negotiations are headed, or it could mean absolutely nothing.

The last thing this Broncos team needs, however, is a holdout from a key player, especially someone on the defensive line. The Broncos are an ascending team in 2025 and while they have depth, they also need all hands on deck to realize their full potential.

Perhaps players in the final year of their contract have nothing to worry about either way, because the Broncos did such a great job of taking care of guys last offseason. The Broncos handed out massive contract extensions last year to Pat Surtain II, Quinn Meinerz, Garett Bolles, and Jonathon Cooper before the season was even over.

And then ahead of 2025 NFL Free Agency, they took care of defensive lineman DJ Jones.

George Paton's philosophy has always been to take care of guys, and apparently everyone has taken note of that. There hasn't been even a whisper of any Broncos player possibly holding out, even if guys like John Franklin-Myers have been vocal about wanting to be properly recognized and compensated for their contributions.