Broncos Extensions: Argument For & Against OG Quinn Meinerz

The Denver Broncos soon have a big decision to make on Quinn Meinerz.

Nov 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine (25) scores a / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos have a few players with contracts expiring after the 2024 season. While the Broncos should be in a better position as far as the salary cap goes, they won't be able to keep everyone.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to examine some of the Broncos who are in the final year of their contracts and might be under consideration for a new deal. While not everyone I will discuss will get extended, they would be the top candidates for a multi-year deal.

For each player, I will look at the arguments for and against extending the player, then consider what may matter the most to the Broncos when it comes to an extension.

We'll start this series with offensive guard Quinn Meinerz.

The Case for an Extension

Meinerz, a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has emerged as a quality starter in the past three seasons. While he started off slowly, he has turned into arguably the best offensive lineman the Broncos have.

It's true that the Broncos are committing a lot of money to two offensive linemen (Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey) but with quarterback Bo Nix on a cheap rookie contract, the team should have enough cap and cash to accommodate an extension for Meinerz in 2025.

Meinerz will be just 26 years old and is in the prime of his career. He played so well in 2023 that many argued he was worthy of a Pro Bowl bid. He's also a player who George Paton drafted, from a 2021 draft class that has been good overall.

And while the Broncos are committed to Powers and McGlinchey for 2025, they don't have to keep them in 2026 and beyond. Extending Meinerz ensures the Broncos keep one of their best players in the fold.

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The Case Against an Extension

While Meinerz has certainly played well, the fact is that the guard market is getting pricey. A couple of 2024 free agents signed for a lot of money.

Of particular note is Robert Hunt, who isn't as good as Meinerz but still got $100 million over four years with $44M in full guarantees and $63M in total guarantees. Meanwhile, Jonah Jackson got $51M over three years with $25.5M in full guarantees and Kevin Dotson got $48M over three years with $24M in full guarantees.

While the Broncos may have Nix on a cheap rookie contract, they are already committing $52M over four years to Powers. Thus, the Broncos may not be in a position to pay a significant sum for two starting guards.

The Broncos could always draft a replacement for Meinerz because offensive guards aren't that difficult to find, particularly in the later rounds. He's a former third-round pick and other guards who have started for the Broncos in recent years were either drafted in the later rounds or were free agents who weren't high draft picks.

Finally, the Broncos have another offensive lineman with an expiring contract: offensive tackle Garett Bolles. It may be better to pay him than to pay Meinerz.

Bottom Line

When it comes to Meinerz, it wouldn't surprise if the Broncos want to extend him. However, the question is how much the Broncos are willing to pay.

While the Broncos did pay Powers a significant sum of money, they didn't re-set the guard market with his contract. The Broncos might not be willing to re-set the market if that's what it takes to keep Meinerz.

However, if Meinerz and his agent are fine with a deal that puts him near the top of the market but doesn't re-set it, the Broncos may consider it. Given that Powers got $52M on a four-year deal, the Broncos would likely have to pay Meinerz more than that, but might not have to pay a lot more.

Of course, things could also depend on what the Broncos do with Bolles. While it's likely the Broncos will keep either Meinerz or Bolles, it's not likely they will keep both.

We'll talk more about Bolles in our next installment.

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