Denver Broncos 2022 free agency outlook

The Denver Broncos started out the regular season on fire with a record of 3-0, but faded down the stretch and out of the playoff picture. The Broncos finished in fourth place in the AFC West with a 7-10 record.

Denver has the playmakers on both sides of the ball, but there’s still this lingering question mark surrounding the quarterback position. Teddy Bridgewater was solid this past season, but is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. This means Drew Lock will be the only QB under contract on the roster. There are rumors that the Broncos could make a splash in the offseason for a veteran start quarterback and they have cap space to make it happen.

Last season’s salary cap number dropped to $182.5 million as the league dealt with the pandemic, but the 2022 cap is expected to rebound back up to $208 million, according to Over The Cap. That increase should loosen a few team pocketbooks this offseason.

Franchise/Transition Tag possibilities

The Broncos have a good amount of free agents in the secondary as Kyle Fuller, Kareem Jackson, and Bryce Callahan could all be looking for new homes. On the other side of the ball, the notable unrestricted free agents are Melvin Gordon, Teddy Bridgewater, and Bobby Massie.

Surprisingly, none of those free agents are potential options for the franchise or transition tag. Gordon could’ve been a quality franchise tag option after he ran for 918 yards and 10 total touchdowns. However, the Broncos have a tremendous second-year running back in Javonte Williams, who proved that he can be the team’s feature back next season.

Salary cap

Estimated 2022 cap space: ($38 million)

Notable unrestricted free agents