Every NFL team has fit their 53-man roster (and practice squad) under the league’s salary cap each season.
This year, the cap was set at $224.8 million (it’s higher for some teams that rolled over unused cap space from the previous season).
Buy Broncos TicketsWe have already listed the 12 biggest salary cap hits for the Denver Broncos in 2023, led by quarterback Russell Wilson ($22 million). Today, we’re taking a quick look at the team’s 10 biggest salary cap bargains going into the 2023 season.
Denver’s biggest bargain is easily Pat Surtain. “PS2” is already considered one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but he’s not paid like one yet.
(All of these totals were provided courtesy of OverTheCap.com.)
1
Pat Surtain: $5,717,128
Surtain has the 10th-biggest cap hit in Denver, but he’s still a huge bargain. He’s one of the best — if not the best — cornerback in the NFL, yet his cap hit ranks 30th among CBs this season. The Broncos will also love having a fifth-year option for the 2025 season as well.
2
OL Ben Powers: $5,250,000
Powers is a bargain this season compared to the next three years of his contract. The guard will see his cap hit increase to $15.25 million in 2024 and 2025 before jumping to $15.75 million in 2026. For now, $5.25 million is a bargain.
3
WR Jerry Jeudy: $4,834,123
Jeudy hasn’t quite lived up to his first-round potential, but less than $5 million is still a bargain for such a talented receiver. There are 36 WRs who will have bigger cap hits in 2023, including two of Jeudy’s teammates.
4
ILB Alex Singleton: $3,333,333
Singleton led the Broncos with 163 tackles last season, but his 2023 cap hit will be less than half of fellow inside linebacker Josey Jewell ($7.13 million). Singleton’s cap hit will jump up to $7.33 million next year.
5
RB Javonte Williams: $2,417,933
Like many of the players on this list, Williams is still playing on his rookie contract, which explains why his cap hit is less than that of backup Samaje Perine ($3 million) this season.
6
OL Quinn Meinerz: $1,305,232
NFL coaches, players and scouts named their top ten guards this offseason and Meinerz received an honorable mention nod. That means Meinerz is close to being considered a top-10 player at his position, but his cap hit ranks 32nd among guards this season.
7
OLB Baron Browning: $1,305,232
When healthy, Browning could arguably be considered the team’s best pass rusher. Yet he’ll earn less than Randy Gregory, Frank Clark and Nik Bonitto in 2023.
8
TE Greg Dulcich: $1,195,259
Dulcich is arguably the team’s most talented tight end, but playing on a rookie contract, he’ll earn less than Chris Manhertz and Adam Trautman this season.
9
DB Caden Sterns: $1,022,646 96
Sterns is listed as a co-starter with Kareem Jackson on the depth chart, but he barely cracks the top 100 among safety cap hits in 2023 (96th overall).
10
OLB Jonathon Cooper: $965,168
Cooper is set to start for the Broncos against the Raiders in Week 1 after impressing this summer, but he’ll earn less than fellow pass rushers Gregory, Clark, Bonitto and Browning in 2023.
