Broncos final offseason move should be extending 28-year-old safety, says ESPN

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The Denver Broncos have had what many feel has been a solid offseason. The team re-signed nearly all of the players that were ready to hit free agency while also giving new contracts to others. This was in an effort to keep the team that nearly went to the Super Bowl last year as close to intact as possible.

A trade with the Miami Dolphins to get wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was the icing on the cake in the eyes of many. But if the Broncos are to make one more move this offseason, Aaron Schatz of ESPN believes the team should extend the contract of safety Brandon Jones.

Recently, I discussed three players the Broncos should prioritize extending. Jones was not on that list. Schatz disagrees.

"The Broncos have three members of their secondary set to hit free agency after the 2026 season. They might be willing to let Ja'Quan McMillian leave because they have 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron waiting in the wings. They also might want to wait on Riley Moss and see if he can clean up some of his pass interference issues.

That leaves safety Jones. At 28, he's the oldest of the three players, but he's an important part of this defense and a big reason Denver ranked third in DVOA against passes up the middle in 2025. It would be good to extend Jones another couple of seasons to keep the back end of the Broncos' defense strong", wrote Schatz.

There is nothing wrong with this take. Jones is a good safety who makes the Broncos' defense stronger when he's on the field, but a pectoral injury last year took him off the field for the most important part of the season. The Broncos still nearly made the Super Bowl with P.J. Locke filling in.

Without Locke, the Broncos are going to need someone to step up and show that the team still has depth at the safety position. Devon Key, JL Skinner and seventh-round pick Miles Scott will be in line for that role.

Though the Broncos do have better depth at the cornerback position, including former first-round pick Jahdae Barron, the fact that Ja'Quan McMillian and Riley Moss are both set to hit free agency could become a concern. Moss' pass interference penalties are way overstated and McMillian is one of the most impactful players on the defense, just ask the Buffalo Bills.

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In an ideal situation, the Broncos are able to keep all three of those guys, but if it comes down to a choice between Jones and either Moss or McMillian, the Broncos should roll the dice on finding a new safety.