Updating Broncos' Salary Cap Space After the Draft

With the NFL draft over, the Denver Broncos should have a better idea of not only where the roster stands but also their salary-cap situation.

After dealing with the pain of carrying a massive cap hit for Russell Wilson in 2024, primarily from the $35 million in cash he was due, the Broncos no longer have any cash commitments to their former quarterback. And while Denver still has $32M in dead money from pro-rated bonuses, it will be easier to manage.

The Broncos entered the 2025 draft with $16.5M in cap space and will need to commit about $3.9M to the seven players they drafted. That should leave the Broncos with about $12.6M in cap space.

Before fans assume the Broncos will go about adding veteran free agents, though, keep in mind that only the top 51 players, in terms of cap hits, count toward the cap during the offseason. Once the Broncos finalize the roster and practice squad following training camp, all players will count toward the cap.

However, that doesn't mean the Broncos will necessarily be tight against the cap in 2025. They may cut a veteran player or two or they could extend players to lower their cap numbers.

Broncos defensive end Zach Allen and wide receiver Courtland Sutton are among the players with the highest cap charges for 2025, but an extension would lower their cap numbers. The likes of safety P.J. Locke, tight end Adam Trautman, and cornerback Damarri Mathis could be cut or traded, which would help with the cap situation.

Regardless, the Broncos are sitting in a good position from a cap standpoint. Ideally, teams should have about $10M in space during the season, which allows them some wiggle room to make roster moves, such as calling up a player from the practice squad or adding another guy if one goes on injured reserve.

While the Broncos probably won't make a splashy move between now and training camp, as far as acquiring a veteran talent, they may come to terms on an extension with a current player. We'll talk more in the coming days about players who might be extension candidates and what one could expect in an extension.