Broncos' Roster Turnover Rate Leads the NFL in 2025

As you can see from the teams listed in Fitzgerald's post, roster stability is one of the common denominators of NFL powerhouses. Counting the Broncos, seven of the top 10 in roster turnover rate were playoff teams, which bodes well for Denver's 2025 outlook.

That 86% mark is significantly better than the previous few seasons, during which the Broncos had one of the lowest percentages of returning players as Sean Payton rebuilt the roster. Payton has a notoriously difficult offensive scheme, so constant turnover only exacerbates that issue, as it takes time for players to pick it up. 

With Bo Nix in place, the Broncos added a few weapons around him but are keeping the infrastructure intact. All five starting offensive linemen are back for the Broncos, though that may not be the case after this season with center Luke Wattenberg, who enters a contract year, and left guard Ben Powers' contract.

The Broncos' offensive line did a great job protecting Nix last year, so keeping them in place is going to help the young quarterback. As we’ve covered, Nix is the key to the Broncos taking the next step this season. 

When it comes to the defense, the Broncos also added three key components, but the other eight starters have all returned. With almost all of the starting defenders coming off a career year, it was beneficial to keep the unit intact, as defensive performance year to year can be volatile in the NFL. Keeping the pieces together reduces the risk of a regression. 

This is a testament to not only Payton but also Broncos GM George Paton for the roster they've built in Denver. While Paton has made some questionable moves since arriving in 2021, especially in hindsight, he has proven to be of great value in the NFL draft. With Payton as the head coach, the Broncos now have competent and balanced leadership at the helm for the first time in a long while. 

However, as good as the turnover rate is this year, the Broncos will need to work to sustain it into 2026. The Broncos currently have 38 players set to become free agents after this season in some capacity.

Of the 38, 14 are exclusive rights free agents, and as a result, they will likely be with the Broncos next year, and some might not even make the practice squad or roster this year. Therefore, the actual number we are looking at is 24. 

The Broncos have six restricted free agents in 2026: tight end Lucas Krull, cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, defensive lineman Matt Henningsen, offensive tackle Alex Palczewski, tight end Nate Adkins, and running back Jaleel McLaughlin.

The Broncos could move on from a few of those players when they cut down to the 53-man roster, such as McMillian in a trade or by cutting ties with Krull and/or Henningsen, but the other three all have a good chance of being retained next offseason. 

Defensive end Zach Allen and wide receiver Courtland Sutton both have 'void' contracts, and the Broncos are working on extensions with both of them. So, their post-2025 status is uncertain, but they're likely to return. That leaves 16 players as unrestricted free agents. 

Some of those 16 players are key starters or key depth pieces, including Wattenberg, defensive ends John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach, fullback Michael Burton, kicker Wil Lutz, rush linebacker Nik Bonitto, safety P.J. Locke, linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, and tight end Adam Trautman. 10 of the 16 unrestricted free agents have a role on the Broncos roster or as practice-squad call-ups, as was the case with Burton last year. 

The Takeaway

Retaining 86% of the Broncos roster from 2024 to 2025 is phenomenal, but Paton and Payton have their work cut out for them to secure some extensions over the next year to sustain such a low turnover rate. Currently, the Broncos are looking at a rate closer to 25-35%, which is typical of teams, but the ball is in their court to prevent that from happening.

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