P.J. Locke, Denver Broncos
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P.J. Locke #6 of the Denver Broncos reacts against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Denver Broncos face another harsh reality: building out a roster often means opening up your current group to other interested teams. That has been the case multiple times for the Broncos this offseason, and the trend continued with veteran P.J. Locke.
While teams cannot officially announce their free agency signings from other teams until Wednesday, news has been breaking ever since the legal tampering period began on Monday.
Locke’s name surfaced on Day 2, with the former undrafted free agent landing in the NFC.
PJ Locke Exits Broncos for NFC Squad
P.J. Locke, Denver Broncos
GettyP.J. Locke #6 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a win against the New York Jets.
“#Broncos FA S PJ Locke is signing with the #Cowboys on a 1-year deal worth $5M, source says,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported in a post on X on March 10. “Another safety added in Dallas.”
The move is a homecoming for Locke, who is from Beaumont, Texas, and went to the University of Texas.
He will also be joining a familiar face.
“P.J. Locke heads back to his home state and also reunites with Christian Parker in Dallas. Nice move for him,” The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel posted on X in reaction to the news. “Played well when called upon late in the season even after having spinal fusion surgery a little more than a year ago.”
Locke seemed to hint at his departure, or at least some kind of movement regarding his free agency, with a cryptic post on social media, and he declined to clarify when given the opportunity.
In the end, Locke exits the Broncos for what could be a greater opportunity in Dallas next season.
Broncos Built to Withstand Losses
P.J. Locke, Denver Broncos
GettyP.J. Locke #6 of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Las Vegas Raiders.
For the Broncos, Locke’s exit is both an opportunity and a reality check. Locke has been with the Broncos since Fix this, and he worked his way up from being an oft-injured reserve into a starting role during the 2024 season.
The following offseason, however, the Broncos upgraded the position with former Miami Dolphins starter Brandon Jones.
During the 2025 offseason, Denver doubled up.
They poached former San Francisco 49ers star and All-Pro Tanaloa Hufanga. Hufanga and Jones manned the positions for the Broncos during the 2025 season, but Locke stepped back into a starting role when Jones went down with an injury.
The undersized veteran showed tremendous versatility and a team-first mentality during his time with the Broncos.
Denver will surely miss that from Locke as he heads to his next NFL home.
Locke finishes his Broncos career with 174 total tackles, 5 forced fumbles, 4.0 sacks, and 1 interception. He now heads to the Cowboys, who finished second in the NFC East during the 2025 season.
Locke’s role in Dallas is unclear. But as his Broncos tenure showed, the veteran will do what is needed, when it is needed, as the coaching staff requires of him.
Broncos to Benefit From Veterans’ Exits
John Franklin-Myers
GettyJohn Franklin-Myers #98 of the Denver Broncos on the field against the Los Angeles Chargers
The Broncos are losing Locke and starting defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers, but they also stand to benefit from their departures. Franklin-Myers joined the Tennessee Titans in free agency, reuniting with multiple former teammates and coaches.
“#Broncos currently lined up for a likely fourth-round comp pick in 2027 for losing John Franklin-Myers today,” Gabriel posted on X on March 9. “Could be impacted by subsequent free agent signings, but would take a major deal to cancel out the JFM pick. Been a quiet day overall for Denver so far.”
The situation is similar with Locke.
“Broncos projected to get a 7th-round comp pick for P.J. Locke leaving,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens posted on X on March 10.