The Broncos have locked in one piece of the puzzle to next season’s plans at inside linebacker.
Denver has agreed to terms on a three-year contract with veteran inside linebacker Justin Strnad, multiple sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Denver Post. The agreement is worth $18 million for Strnad, with $10 million guaranteed at signing.
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A fifth-round pick by the Broncos in the 2020 NFL Draft, Strnad has blossomed as a fill-in linebacker across the last two seasons, starting eight games in 2024 before a true breakout season in 2025. In eight more starts in reserve of both Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton, Strnad racked up 58 tackles and an interception in 17 games and was a true weapon on blitzes, with 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits.
At the NFL Combine in late February, general manager George Paton made clear the Broncos were looking to retain both Strnad and Singleton, two key contributors to Vance Joseph’s top-three defense last season.
“We’d love to have them back, regardless of what’s in the draft,” Paton said in Indianapolis, then. “We see those guys as Broncos. If we let those guys leave, what are we doing?”
Strnad’s re-signing may mean that Denver moves on from one of Singleton or Greenlaw, though, as cutting the latter would save Denver $6 million in cap space. Strnad re-upped with Denver in last year’s free agency on a bargain-bin one-year, $2.8 million deal, and told The Denver Post point-blank after the season that he saw himself as a starter in the NFL.
“I mean, to be honest — I don’t think I would be back here if it’s not in a starter role,” Strnad said in late January.
The deal, then — $6 million would be high-end value for a backup middle linebacker — signals a changing of the guard for Denver’s plans in 2026, with Strnad likely to step fully into the sun after five seasons as a reserve.
Singleton after the season was asked if he thought Strand proved he could be a starter in the NFL, causing the veteran and close friend of Strnad to scoff.
“Well, he started the last two years, so I think he’s a starter,” Singleton said. “It’s funny, he’s kind of in the exact same boat I was when I left Philly or my first year here. Reporters asked me the same question, ‘do I think I’m a starter? And I’m like, ‘Well I started 20 games.’
“He is that guy. He deserves everything he can. Anyone who watches tape or whatever, I think he’s as good as the top-paid guys in the NFL.”
Singleton said then that he hoped he and Strnad both ended up back in Denver and threw Greenlaw in the mix, tool.
“I think between the three of us it would be really fun to run it back and do everything we can. But yeah, I hope (Strnad) gets everything he deserves because he deserves it.”
Strand’s got his deal. Now attention turns to what happens next.
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