Broncos secure offensive lineman Alex Palczewski for two years, bolstering their line ahead of a busy free agency period.
The Denver Broncos are going into free agency in hopes of bringing in enough talent to make another deep playoff run in 2026 and beyond.
Running back is one position the Broncos are expected to be major factors in, especially after JK Dobbins suffered another injury.
There are plenty of other targets on both sides of the ball for Denver, so things could get busy in free agency.
On Thursday, the Broncos got ahead of the game and signed offensive lineman Alex Palczewski to a two-year contract. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero was first with the news.
Palczewski played in all 17 regular-season games and started 10 games for the Broncos in 2025, getting the nod from Week 7 through Week 17 as Ben Powers dealt with an injury.
The Broncos then posted the announcement on their X page later in the day.
Palczewski also played three games in 2024 at right tackle, so he can be used in multiple positions, which is a positive for the Broncos going forward.
He went undrafted in 2023, but he played college football at Illinois.
After the news came out, Illinois Illini coach Bret Bielema reacted to the new deal for his former offensive lineman.
According to Broncos reporter Mike Klis, the new deal for Palczewski is for two years and $9.5 million with $5.6m guaranteed and a maximum value of $11 million, so it's a nice payday for the young OL. The incentives are for playing time, but Palczewski has been steady the past two seasons.
News came later in the day that the Broncos are not going to move on from Powers, so that's another piece of the offensive line set to return in 2026.
The Broncos have a lot of things to figure out if they want to win the AFC West again, and protecting quarterback Bo Nix is one of them, especially as he recovers from an injury he suffered in the postseason.
There are other areas of need, including at running back and potentially wide receiver or even tight end to give Nix some more options on the offense, but having some continuity in the trenches is a positive development for the Broncos.
The NFL free agency negotiation period is set to begin, and while the Broncos are expected to lose defensive star John Franklin-Myers, they should be able to bring in some pieces to help their chances of another playoff run in 2026.