Broncos LG Ben Powers Accepts Pay Cut

Powers, who played his college ball at Oklahoma, entered the NFL as a Ravens fourth-round pick in 2019. He became a full-time starter in his third season but left for Denver after playing out his four-year rookie contract. Powers inked a much more expensive four-year deal in 2023 with the Broncos, who reeled him in with a $52MM offer.

Now entering the last season of his pact with the Broncos, Powers had been in line to earn a non-guaranteed $13MM. While Powers will rake in less than that after accepting a reduction in pay, the agreement comes with more guarantees, Klis reports. A source told Klis that the soon-to-be 30-year-old Powers will continue to make “starter” money in 2026.

Powers entered 2025 off three straight 17-start campaigns, but he was unable to stay healthy during a 14-win season for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. He tore his biceps in a Week 5 win over the Eagles, leading to a two-month, nine-game absence. Powers returned for a Week 16 meeting with the Jaguars, but he suffered a Lisfranc injury in a 34-20 loss. That issue had gone unreported until Monday, as Powers played through it for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. He was on the field for all of the Broncos’ offensive snaps in their divisional-round win over the Bills and their AFC title game loss to the Patriots.

Powers underwent an MRI on his foot after the Broncos’ season ended. It confirmed the Lisfranc injury, which required offseason surgery, Klis relays. While recovering from that procedure, Powers missed the Broncos’ offseason program. He will now go into camp and the preseason fighting to keep his job, which is not a guarantee despite the pay cut.

Alex Palczewski, who filled in for Powers last year, will compete for the starting spot. The Broncos re-signed Palczewski to a two-year, $9.5MM contract in restricted free agency, and they see him as a future starter. So, even if Palczewski does not take over for Powers this year, that may be the direction the Broncos go in 2027.