DENVER — Thanks largely to the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson, there is a better financial balance on the Broncos’ roster this year.
Last year, the Broncos finished with the 32nd-ranked offensive payroll in the NFL at $44.85 million. That’s 32 out of 32 NFL teams. For 2022, Broncos’ general manager George Paton nearly doubled his offensive payroll to $88.97 million, which still only ranks 23rd in the league.
Two positions where the Broncos rank at the bottom of NFL payrolls is running back (No. 32, $3.14 million) and tight end (No. 31, $3.04 million). Look for Paton to address those positions in the draft, if not sooner through the final waves of free agency.
The team’s two highest-paid players by position: Left tackle Garett Bolles, whose $17 million salary ranks 3rd among blindside protectors in the NFL, and Justin Simmons, whose $15.1 million cash payout in 2022 ranks No. 2 among safeties.
Wilson brings in a $24 million salary for 2022 that ranks 12th among NFL quarterbacks. Last year, Teddy Bridgewater ($4.5 million), Drew Lock ($1.13 million) and Brett Rypien ($165,600) had the Broncos ranked near the bottom of the QB payrolls.
Entering the Broncos’ offseason program that begins with physicals and conditioning Monday, their defense has the 11th-ranked payroll at $95.7 million. That’s up from their 20th-most at $69.63 million to finish last year – although it was much higher before Von Miller and his $18 million salary were traded away at midseason and Pat Surtain II, Ronald Darby and Kareem Jackson spent the final week on injured reserve.
A look at the Broncos’ tentative starting lineups with their scheduled cash payouts and their positional cash ranking for 2022 (per Spotrac):
OFFENSE
QB: Russell Wilson ($24 million, 12th)
WR: Courtland Sutton ($12 million, 21)
WR: Tim Patrick ($6.25 million, 33)
WR: Jerry Jeudy ($1.99 million, 70)
RB: Javonte Williams ($1.06 million, 60)
FB: Andrew Beck ($1.25 million, 12)
TE: Albert Okwuegbunam ($895,000, T-69)
LT: Garett Bolles ($17 million, 3)
LG: Dalton Risner ($2.79 million, T-34)
C: Lloyd Cushenberry ($1.03 million, 36)
RG: Quinn Meinerz ($877,539, 116)
RT: Billy Turner ($2.5 million, 17)
DEFENSE
OLB: Randy Gregory ($14 million, 22)
OLB: Bradley Chubb ($13.93 million, 24)
DL: Dre’Mont Jones ($2.54 million, 46)
DL: D.J. Jones ($10 million, 12)
DL: Mike Purcell ($3.57 million, 39)
ILB: Josey Jewell ($6 million, 11)
ILB: Alex Singleton ($1.12 million, 42)
CB: Pat Surtain II ($1.61 million, 79)
CB: Ronald Darby ($9.8 million, 19)
CB: K’Waun Williams ($2.6 million, 51)
S: Justin Simmons ($15.1 million, 2)
S: Kareem Jackson ($2 million, T-54)
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Brandon McManus ($3 million, 16)
P: Sam Martin ($2.25 million, 9)
LS: Jacob Bobenmoyer ($895,000, T-25)
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