Broncos’ four-year extension with Garett Bolles designed to hold 2025-26 cap numbers down
According to NFL Players Association data and OvertheCap, Bolles’ cap number this year actually bumped up slightly to $20.8 million.
LOS ANGELES — The Broncos’ four-year contract extension with Garett Bolles comes with a couple of interesting wrinkles.
The team used a pair of option bonuses and five void years at the end of the term to suppress Bolles’ cap numbers early in the deal.
According to NFL Players Association data and OvertheCap, Bolles’ cap number this year actually bumped up slightly to $20.8 million. His remaining base salary was converted, and he got a $4 million signing bonus.
Bolles’ remaining 2024 and 2025 salaries are guaranteed and then on the fifth day of the 2025 league year — so mid-March — his 2026 salary becomes guaranteed, as well.
All of that adds up to more than $23 million fully guaranteed at signing and $42 million in total guarantees. The contract would be relatively easy for Denver to get out of after the 2026 season.
Bolles’ cap numbers are as follows:
2024: $20.8 million
2025: $5.816 million
2026: $9.248 million
2027: $28.683 million
2028: $27.683 million
2029 (void year): $9.77 million
Bolles has started every game for Denver this season and entered Thursday night’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers ranked seventh among tackles in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric and eighth in run block win rate.
Estime starts vs. Chargers. With Jaleel McLaughlin out due to a quad injury, head coach Sean Payton turned to rookie running back Audric Estime as the starter.
That was just the start of the action, though.
The Broncos rotated through Estime, Javonte Williams, receiver Marvin Mims Jr. and rookie practice squad-er Blake Watson all on the first drive alone.
Wallace out again. The Broncos are once again going young at corner. Veteran Levi Wallace was a healthy scratch against the Chargers, even with Riley Moss (knee) out again.
Damarri Mathis started and Kris Abrams-Draine got time, as well.
The Broncos deployed a similar setup to last week against Indianapolis, where Abrams-Draine played in sub packages and Mathis played in base.
The rest of Denver’s inactives: RB Jaleel McLaughlin (quad), QB Zach Wilson (emergency third QB), ILB Levelle Bailey, OL Frank Crum and DL Matt Henningsen.
Henningsen was elevated from the practice squad along with Watson for the game but made inactive.
One other interesting note: WIth Bailey inactive, second-year man Drew Sanders warmed up with the inside linebackers. Until recently, he seemed to be prepared to work back into action on the edge.
But with Dondrea Tillman a quality fourth guy at outside linebacker and Denver’s depth lacking a bit in the middle, the third-round pick from Arkansas was back with that group Thursday night.
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