Broncos predicted to face tricky $30M+ problem with star CB after 2026 season

The Denver Broncos have built one of, if not the best, defenses in the entire NFL. Patrick Surtain II and Nik Bonitto lead an elite defense for Denver that will help make them a Super Bowl contender.

But just as they lost John Franklin-Myers this past offseason, the Broncos might be losing another key player next year in free agency. More specifically, they could lose their starting nickel cornerback Ja'Quan McMillan.

ESPN's Seth Walder is predicting that McMillan will break the record for the largest contract signed by a nickel cornerback in the NFL, which could pose a problem for Denver's roster construction if his deal is well beyond the $30 million record set back in 2024.

Broncos could have a problem amid record-breaking contract prediction for Ja'Quan McMillan

"Ja'Quan McMillan will become the highest-paid nickelback in 2027 -- with Denver or another team," Walder predicts.

McMillan securing the bag next offseason wouldn't be a surprise, as he's been one of the better, more underrated cornerbacks in the NFL the past few seasons.

But when he hits free agency, barring a big extension with the Broncos that they might find tricky to agree to, the league will take notice and pay McMillan handsomely.

Walder's prediction of McMillan breaking the record for the largest contract signed by a nickel defender would not be a surprising result.

The undrafted free agent out of East Carolina has been great, posting three straight seasons with two interceptions from 2023 through 2025, including a pick-six in back-to-back years.

This past season, he had nine pass breakups and a passer rating allowed of 74.2. But he was a whole lot more than just a good cover corner as well.

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McMillan finished the 2025 campaign with 4.0 sacks, 56 tackles, two forced fumbles, five tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits.

Many teams around the NFL would love to have him at the nickel spot, and with the position getting a lot more public respect, it would not be a surprise if McMillan cashed in.

The record back in 2024 for a nickel cornerback was $30 million over three years for Kenny Moore with the Indianapolis Colts. McMillan's new deal will almost surely be north of that figure, just as Walder predicts.

While it might be under the label of a "bold" prediction, this record-breaking prediction from Walder would not be a surprise if it came true. McMillan is just that good.

This would, of course, be a problem for the Broncos, as a record-breaking deal might be difficult to agree to. But for someone as good as McMillan, it would not be a surprise if Denver elected to meet the likely sky-high demands and lock him up long-term.

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