The Broncos have gotten exactly what they’d hoped for out of Ben Powers, who was one of the team’s first free-agent acquisitions of the Sean Payton era, agreeing to terms on a frenzied first day in 2023 when they also added Zach Allen and Mike McGlinchey.
Powers has been a sturdy presence at left guard, helping left tackle Garett Bolles to some of his best work as a pro. In 2024, Powers ranked No. 1 in the NFL in run-block win rate, per ESPN Analytics.
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But he is also in a contract year. And after a 2025 season marred by a torn biceps that cost him nine regular-season games, he steps into his fourth Broncos training camp with his primary fill-in from last year, Alex Palczewski, on a new three-year contract and a fourth-round pick invested in a potential guard, Boise State product Kage Casey.
You don’t have to look far over the horizon to see the reality developing for the eight-year veteran. And with the Broncos currently projected to have just under $12.4 million of cap space for 2027 — placing them 20th in the NFL, with over $312 million currently accounted for on contracts already issued — the succession plan for Powers may already be under way.
Powers did not take part in minicamp this month, although he was on hand and observed. Palczewski continued to work at left guard, where he ranked ninth in run-blocking win rate last year — an extraordinary performance, given that he hadn’t worked on the left side of the line since high school.
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And while Casey has position flexibility across the offensive line, his 32.75-inch arm length as measured at the NFL Scouting Combine puts him on the smaller side when it comes to tackles, making him a better potential physical fit at guard. Bolles and Mike McGlinchey, by comparison, have 34-inch arms.
BRONCOS CHOSE TO RETAIN POWERS, EVEN THOUGH THEY COULD HAVE CREATED CAP ROOM
Now, the Broncos value continuity, and should Powers maintain his place in the starting lineup for this season the team would have its first-team quintet together for a third-consecutive season, a rarity in today’s NFL.
They valued it so much that they opted to stick with Powers, even though releasing him in March with a post-June 1 designation could have saved over $12 million on their salary cap with $5.425 million of dead money.
As it stands, Powers has the second-highest cap figure on the roster, at $18.155 million. Only McGlinchey’s is higher.
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But the Broncos have shown that for the most part, they’ll stick with creating depth once they get to this point in the year. Last season, they eschewed parting ways with P.J. Locke despite the cap space such a move would have created; in the end, they needed Locke to start down the stretch.
Palczewski’s contract and the selection of Casey were moves made with the future in mind. But assuming Powers is back to health and good to go for the season, the present seems likely to still belong to him.