The Broncos rookies have already been in town for nearly a week now, their professional careers off and running.

Veterans report Tuesday facing all kinds of waypoints in their careers. Right guard Quinn Meinerz is now a very wealthy — and job-secure — man. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham enters his fifth season in a true fight for a starting quarterback job for the first time. Safety Brandon Jones is stepping into the biggest role of his career and, like other free agents Malcolm Roach, Angelo Blackson, trade acquisition John Franklin-Myers and others, is doing so with a new team.

There are also several veterans on the roster who kick off the 2024 campaign at something of a career crossroads. Their immediate future is clear enough, but beyond this season or maybe even beyond late August, the visibility wanes.

Here’s a look at five.

WR Courtland Sutton

The Broncos’ top receiver openly called his current situation with the franchise a “stalemate.”

He wants a financial commitment from the team. His contract has two years and $26 million remaining, but just $2 million in guaranteed money.

That Sutton and the club haven’t come to some kind of agreement yet seems to indicate that a major extension is unlikely, though nothing’s been categorically ruled out publicly. Head coach Sean Payton has only said that Sutton is “important” and that he thinks something will get worked out.

An offseason deal, though, if Denver was truly interested, could have improved the salary cap situation for this year. Instead, the Broncos avoided moving money or adding years for Sutton and the next two players on this list.

So the current state of play: The team rebuffed trade interest this spring but also hasn’t shown much inclination to make a long-term commitment.

If Denver jettisons Sutton after the 2024 season, it’ll save $14 million on the 2025 cap and incur about $3.8 million in dead money. There are a lot of ways this partnership could go before that, but as training camp begins, the exact track isn’t clear.

DT D.J. Jones

The Broncos have remade their defensive line around Zach Allen and Jones. Allen has multiple years left on his deal, but Jones is looking at free agency after 2024. Like Sutton, the Broncos could have freed up cap space for this year by either extending Jones or by cutting him. Instead, the club stood pat.

So now Jones will play 2024 with a cap number approaching $13 million. Perhaps the revamped group around him and the prospect of a contract season will combine to get a big year from Jones. He’s been mostly steady and sometimes a true impact player.

Jones will play the entire season at 29 years old. Interestingly, the Broncos haven’t used premium draft capital on the defensive interior in recent years, nor do they have much in terms of under-the-radar heirs apparent. Perhaps a young, unheralded player will emerge this year. If not, Jones could find himself a candidate to return. Either way, if he has a good year, he’ll be a sought-after player at a premium position this winter.

LT Garett Bolles

Bolles is a couple of years older than Jones but in a similar situation contractually. The Broncos opted against trading or releasing their veteran left tackle as a money saver, but also did not extend his contract.

Now the 2017 first-round pick enters the final year of a four-year extension with a $20 million cap number and little certainty for what awaits beyond 2024.

Like Jones, Bolles plays a premium position and one for which the Broncos have no obvious next man up. That could change, whether by development or in next spring’s draft, but at this point Bolles looks like a bridge to an unknown future.

Perhaps that will change with a short extension. If none materializes, another long-tenured Bronco is playing his final year for the club.

OLBs Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper

These two find themselves on the other side of the contractual coin.

Browning and Cooper have blossomed into starters for Denver and they’re each entering the final years of their rookie deals.

Browning went in the third round of the 2021 draft and then Cooper in the seventh round. They’ve got different skill sets but have become similarly important to Vance Joseph’s group.

Denver also has Nik Bonitto a year behind and a young group that includes Drew Sanders (if he stays on the edge) and rookie Jonah Elliss.

The Broncos hope all are quality players. What they can’t say at this point is that any is a true elite-level talent on the edge.

That leaves Denver in something of an interesting situation. They’d gladly take Browning and Cooper both beyond this season, but cost enters the equation. Edge rushers get paid. Period.

If either guy takes another step this fall, he simultaneously becomes more important to Denver and also more expensive to keep long-term.

Essentially, this fall is a massive opportunity for each.

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Originally Published: July 22, 2024 at 5:45 a.m.