The Denver Broncos are facing the consequences of head coach Sean Payton’s expensive choices. After the team’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Payton emphasized the need for the supporting players to elevate their game around rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix experienced two dropped passes from his receivers and also endured two sacks, as the Broncos’ offensive line struggled, allowing the highest number of pressures in the league during Week 1, according to The 33rd Team. Mark Kizla from The Denver Gazette pointed out that Payton’s offensive line is becoming a financial drain, stating, “So much money has been spent in the trenches, yet Denver remains underwhelming in both run blocking and quarterback protection.” He labeled it “Sean’s $164 Million Folly.”
Kizla highlighted a key concern for Payton: if the belief is that a football team is built from the ground up and if this Denver offensive line truly is subpar, then Nix might be in a precarious position regarding his future as the long-term starting quarterback.
The Broncos’ offensive line has a hefty price tag, with four of the five starters having a combined $164 million in guaranteed contracts. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey has $52.5 million in practical guarantees from his five-year, $87.5 million deal. Right guard Quinn Meinerz has $45 million in practical guarantees following a four-year, $72 million extension signed in the 2024 offseason. Left guard Ben Powers has a four-year contract worth $51.5 million, with $28.5 million guaranteed. Both Powers and McGlinchey signed new contracts after Payton’s arrival in 2023. Starting center Luke Wattenberg has $287,720 in guarantees in his four-year, $3.9 million deal.
Although left tackle Garett Bolles was a product of former GM John Elway, he is still in the final year of a four-year, $68 million contract, with $38 million guaranteed.
