The good news for Ben Powers? The veteran offensive lineman will get to retain his starting left guard position with the Denver Broncos for at least another season.
The bad news? His bank account will be a bit lighter as a result.
9NEWS‘ Mike Klis reported Monday that Powers “accepted a restructured, one-year contract that will leave him with less pay but more of it guaranteed,” and that “while the pay cut was significant, Powers will still be drawing ‘starter’ money in 2026.”
The exact terms of the restructure have to be published.
Signed to a four-year, $52 million deal in 2023, Powers has started 40 games during his time in Denver and made all 17 regular-season appearances across his first two seasons, but was limited to only eight games in 2025 due to multiple injuries — a torn biceps tendon and a Lisfranc foot injury, which he played through in the playoffs.
Questions persisted about Powers’ future this offseason, and while Powers avoided a pink slip, the team ultimately asked him to take a financial haircut.
“The Broncos first approached Powers and his agent Tom Mills about the restructure at the NFL Combine in February, then decided to back off that request prior to their offseason program that began in April and revisited it as veterans are about to report Tuesday to training camp,” Klis reported.
Essentially, that Powers will be Denver’s left guard for as long as his play (and his health) allows. He was asked to accept a pay cut due in part to the presence of swing lineman Alex Palczewski, who filled in admirably in Powers’ stead last season, and the Broncos further added to the corps in April with fourth-round pick Kage Casey.
Unless Powers enjoys an All-Pro campaign, however, it’s a good bet that the club will have a new full-time starter in 2027 — potentially Palczewski, Casey, or someone not yet on the roster. The audition begins now.
“Well first: Ben’s doing well,” head coach Sean Payton said in June. “With ‘Palcho’ (Palczewski), the thing that we saw, and the thing that we’ve seen for a couple years now, is flexibility, his football I.Q., his intelligence. You feel a very experienced player. Ben’s right on schedule to where we thought he’d be at this point. We’re really pleased with the depth and experience in that room.”
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