But then your eyes stop at Russell Wilson. Dead money: $53 million.
That’s the part that doesn’t look right — or at least doesn’t feel right. The Broncos are paying a historic price for a quarterback who’s no longer on the roster, the kind of financial penalty that typically cripples a franchise. Yet, against the odds, Denver appears to be weathering the hit, with a competitive roster built around young, cost-controlled talent like Bo Nix, Nik Bonitto, and Marvin Mims Jr., and with shrewd signings and draft picks helping them stay in the mix.
The real test will be whether they can contend while carrying the heaviest dead cap hit in NFL history — a bet that Bo Nix is good enough, soon enough, to make it work.
Powers has underperformed relative to his contract, especially given how much cap space he occupies. His pass protection has been shaky at times, and his run blocking hasn’t matched the dominance he showed in Baltimore. If the Broncos are confident in younger, cheaper options on the interior line — or can land a replacement in the draft — it makes sense to designate Powers as a post-June 1 cut, which would allow them to spread the dead money and save significant cap space in 2025.
Exactly — that’s a classic case of poor return on investment. While availability is valuable, the Broncos can’t justify a top-10 guard salary for middle-of-the-pack performance, especially with their cap still absorbing Russell Wilson’s dead money. Unless Powers shows major improvement early in 2025, Denver will likely view moving on from him as a necessary step toward financial flexibility and roster efficiency.
Broncos Paying Too Much for Offensive Guards
hat’s a smart breakdown. The contrast between Meinerz and Powers underscores how a premium contract only works when tied to elite performance. Meinerz is a long-term asset; Powers is a cap liability.
A post-June 1 release in 2026 is likely the cleanest way out. The $12.5M in cap savings would be huge for retooling, especially with core players like Bo Nix and Nik Bonitto potentially nearing second contracts.
Statistical Anomaly for Broncos in 2025 NFL Draft
That’s a glaring omission, especially with a rookie QB like Bo Nix under center and a struggling, overpaid guard like Ben Powers on the roster. Every other team with a young quarterback prioritized protecting their investment — but Denver didn’t. Skipping offensive line entirely, especially in a deep OL class, signals either misplaced confidence in their current unit or poor draft planning.
It also puts more pressure on the front office to address the line in free agency or hope for unexpected internal development — neither of which is a guarantee.
