NFL Restructures: Broncos, Bosa, Burns, Granderson, Tranquill
Teams around the NFL have been engaging in their usual financial gymnastics to create enough cap space to sign new players – or for some – simply retain the ones already under contract.
The Broncos restructured Quinn Meinerz‘s deal earlier in the week to ensure they were compliant with the 2026 salary cap by the start of the new league year on Wednesday. But with more than a dozen signings – including multi-year pacts with Alex Singleton, J.K. Dobbins, and Adam Trautman, plus a second-round restricted free agent tag signed by Ja’Quan McMillian – Denver needed to free up more cap space.
To do so, they completed a restructure of outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper‘s contract, per Luca Evans of the Denver Post. His salary was reduced to the veteran minimum with $10.2MM converted into a signing bonus that was prorated across the remaining five years of the contract, which includes two added void years. Cooper’s 2026 cap hit dropped by $8.2MM to $5.78MM as a result, with $17.55MM cap hits now scheduled for 2027 and 2028, per OverTheCap.
The Broncos also altered the contract of guard Ben Powers. He was set to earn a $500k roster bonus on Sunday, but that has instead been moved into his base salary for the season, according to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
Powers was viewed as a potential cap casualty entering the final year of his deal, but the team affirmed their commitment to him before free agency. However, this move – pushing a financial obligation months into the future – indicates that Denver may still be open to moving on the seven-year veteran after re-signing Alex Palczewski at the beginning of the month.
Here are some other recent restructures from around the NFL:
- The 49ers restructured defensive end Nick Bosa‘s contract to clear $17.7MM in salary cap space, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap. Like Cooper, his salary was reduced to the veteran minimum by converting $21.465MM to a signing bonus and prorating it across the four remaining years of the contract plus one new void year. His cap hits in each of those seasons has risen by $4.293MM as a result.
- The Giants also restructured a starting edge rusher, like the Broncos with Cooper and the 49ers with Burns, though they did not add any void years to his deal to maximize the cap savings from the move. $22.75MM of Brian Burns‘ 2026 salary was converted to a signing bonus and prorated across the remaining three years of the contract. The move yields $15.16MM in cap savings this year, though ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes that the money is for “operating funds” – such as contracts for the upcoming draft class – as opposed to another major free agency signing. Burns will now have cap hits of just over $44MM in 2027 and 2028, which will likely cause the Giants to explore another extension next offseason to reduce those obligations.
- Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill accepted a pay cut in the last year of his contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He was previously due a non-guaranteed salary of $6MM; now, he will make $3.5MM with $3MM of his guaranteed. The deal ensures Tranquill will remain in Kansas City in 2026, his fourth season with the team.
- The Saints already began their annual tradition of restructuring most of their top contracts to become cap-compliant before the start of the new league year, and they added another to the ledger this week with an edge rusher of their own. Carl Granderson‘s $2MM roster bonus and $9.45MM of his 2026 salary was converted into a signing bonus and prorated across the remaining four years of the contract, per Fitzgerald. Interestingly, the Saints, who have been one of the NFL’s most aggressive teams in terms of using void years, did not add another void year to Granderson’s deal (which already contained two) to maximize their cap savings, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. As a result, his 2026 cap hit was reduced by $8.59MM, creating a $20.924MM cap hit in 2027.
Broncos Showed Interest In Travis Etienne, Romeo Doubs
Denver is the only NFL team that has not signed an outside free agent this year, but it did target at least a couple of high-profile names earlier this week. The Broncos were in on newly signed Saints running back Travis Etienne, the former Jaguar told Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio. They also inquired about wide receiver Romeo Doubs before he joined the Patriots, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
After the Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, Etienne and ex-Seahawk Kenneth Walker entered free agency as the best backs available. The Broncos eyed Hall before the Jets kept him off the market. They pivoted to Etienne as a result, but the Louisiana native took the Saints’ four-year, $52MM deal. Etienne said that it was an easy decision to return to his home state.
It is unclear if the Broncos made Etienne an offer, but his desire to go back to Louisiana suggests the odds were stacked against them. AFC West rival Kansas City also vied for Etienne before it inked Walker to a three-year, $43.05MM pact.
Once Etienne and Walker found new homes, the Broncos addressed the position by re-signing J.K. Dobbins to a two-year, $16MM arrangement and retaining Jaleel McLaughlin on a cheap agreement. Despite missing seven games with a ligament tear in his foot, the oft-injured Dobbins secured a raise over last year’s $5.25MM accord.
Production has never been an issue for Dobbins, who has averaged 5.2 yards on 582 carries during his six-year career. He added 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts (5.0 YPC) in 10 games last year. The problem is that the former Raven and Charger has missed 57 regular-season games with a laundry list of injuries.
Dobbins was not around past Nov. 6 last year, leaving the No. 1-seeded Broncos to finish the season with rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey as their lead back. Harvey scored an eye-opening 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five receiving) and caught 47 passes, but he averaged a meager 3.7 yards on 146 carries. He managed just 37 yards on 13 attempts in the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game.
Barring further acquisitions, the Broncos will continue with Dobbins and Harvey as their one-two punch in the backfield next season. They also have all of their main receivers from 2025 – Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and Lil’Jordan Humphrey – under contract. Having averaged around 51 catches, 606 yards and five scores per season over his first four years, Doubs would have been a noteworthy addition to the group. But the Patriots, who had a greater need at receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs, pulled in the ex-Packer on a four-year contract worth up to $80MM.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/26
Here are Friday’s minor NFL moves as free agency continues into the weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: WR Simi Fehoko
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: G Corey Bullock
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: LB Claudin Cherelus
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: CB Jaylon Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: CB D’Angelo Ross
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: TE Princeton Fant
Denver Broncos
- Signed RFA tender: CB Ja’Quan McMillian
Houston Texans
- Waived: DT Kurt Hinish
Miami Dolphins
- Signed ERFA tender: CB Ethan Bonner
- Signed: P Seth Vernon
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: C Zeke Correll
New York Giants
- Signed: S Elijah Campbell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: TE Ko Kieft
After making the call not to tender him as a restricted free agent, the Panthers were able to come to an agreement to re-sign Cherelus. The undrafted linebacker has started six of 27 game appearances in his last two years with Carolina, logging 60 total tackles.
Unlike Cherelus, McMillian did get tendered in Denver. With 16 starts in 51 games appearances over four years with the Broncos, McMillian’s tender is worth $5.77MM for the 2026 season, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
The Texans signed Hinish to a one-year deal last year, but the Notre Dame product spent the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Instead of holding on to him for the upcoming season, they’ve decided to cut him from the roster.
Broncos To Re-Sign RB Jaleel McLaughlin
As the low-end RFA tender figure has climbed near $4MM, those are being handed out at a lower rate. The Broncos declined to tender running back Jaleel McLaughlin, but he is still in their 2026 plans.
Despite re-signing J.K. Dobbins, Denver is re-signing McLaughlin (per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The diminutive running back is rejoining the team on a one-year deal, continuing a string of re-signings for a Broncos team that has otherwise been inactive in free agency.
McLaughlin will receive a $125K signing bonus, according to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. This likely represents the RB’s only guaranteed money on the deal, making it far from certain he makes the 53-man roster.
Denver now has its top four RBs from 2025 under contract, with Tyler Badie remaining in the fold. Badie’s increased usage on passing downs led to McLaughlin — a regular from 2023-24 — being a healthy scratch for a chunk of the season, but Dobbins’ Lisfranc injury opened the door for another opportunity.
Sean Payton‘s team has yet to sign an outside free agent this week, but plenty of re-signings have commenced. Denver has brought back linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad to go with tight ends Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins. Third-string quarterback Sam Ehlinger is also returning. While the Broncos’ inactivity with regards to outside FAs is a bit unexpected — as the Russell Wilson contract is off the books during what will likely be Bo Nix‘s final rookie-contract year — the team is doing plenty to retain contributors from a 14-3 roster.
The NCAA’s all-divisions rushing leader — from his time at Youngstown State and Notre Dame College (Ohio) — McLaughlin impressed as a UDFA. Playing as a Javonte Williams complementary piece, the 5-foot-7 RB totaled 410 rushing yards as a rookie and 496 in Year 2. The elusive back combined for six touchdowns in those seasons. The Broncos only gave McLaughlin 37 carries last season, but he averaged 5.1 yards per tote as a reserve option behind rookie RJ Harvey.
Dobbins will only count $6MM against Denver’s cap this year, per Spotrac, as his $8MM guarantee (on a two-year, $16MM deal) will produce a 2027 cap hit of $10MM. Dobbins’ health history effectively makes this a one-year, $8MM pact with a team option. Trautman’s four-year, $17MM contract will bring $9.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. This includes a partial 2027 guarantee, with $3.76MM of the ex-Saint’s $4.99MM base salary locked in at signing. Adkins is back on a one-year, $1.64MM deal, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The TE/FB received $300K guaranteed at signing.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/12/26
One exclusive rights free agent decision to pass along:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Broncos: DL Jordan Jackson
Jackson is all but assured to return to Denver next season via his one-year, $1.075MM tender. The former Saints sixth-round pick has been with the Broncos since 2023. He had 17 tackles and one sack with Denver in 2024, but he was limited to only five games this past year.
Broncos To Re-Sign Lil’Jordan Humphrey
The Broncos let Lil’Jordan Humphrey walk in free agency last year, and the Sean Payton favorite joined the Giants in free agency. But he made his way back to Denver via an in-season return. The veteran Payton charge will be the latest Bronco to re-sign this offseason.
Denver is retaining Humphrey, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. With the Broncos losing Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant in the playoffs, Humphrey was needed as a regular on offense. He came through against the Bills, hauling in a long touchdown pass at the end of the first half. This will be Humphrey’s fourth season in Denver.
Humphrey, 28 in April, played for Payton in New Orleans before joining him in Denver in 2023. The three-year Saint worked mostly as a backup in New Orleans and has contributed more in Denver as a blocking wideout. He did play an auxiliary role in Bo Nix‘s rookie-year success, totaling career highs in catches (31) and yards (293).
The Giants stashed Humphrey on their practice squad after cutting him last August, and the Broncos ended up signing him off the New York P-squad in November. Playing in only three games for the 4-13 Giants, Humphrey saw action in seven for the 14-3 Broncos. He caught a regular-season touchdown pass against the Packers, and after dropping a would-be touchdown early in the Bills divisional-round matchup, the 6-foot-4 pass catcher came through with a 29-yard TD pass in the final minute of the first half during the No. 1 seed’s overtime win.
The Broncos have not yet signed an outside free agent, but they have been busy retaining their own. Although John Franklin-Myers and P.J. Locke have departed, Denver has brought back Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, J.K. Dobbins, Adam Trautman and Sam Ehlinger over the past few days. The team also retained Ben Powers after the veteran guard was mentioned as a trade candidate. It would seem the Broncos will add outside UFAs soon, but last year’s AFC West champs are submitting a continuity-focused approach thus far.
Added to that list of re-signings: tight end Lucas Krull. The team announced the reserve tight end, nontendered as an RFA last week, is staying. As the RFA tender numbers keep rising, teams have increasingly opted to nontender these players and bring them back at reduced rates. After a 152-yard 2024 season, Krull played in just four games last year and caught only two passes.
Krull joins Trautman, Nate Adkins and Evan Engram in the Broncos’ tight end room. Engram did not impress regularly last season and is a logical cut candidate, but the 31-year-old pass catcher has nearly half his 2026 base salary guaranteed. Denver already used one of his early post-June 1 designations on Dre Greenlaw.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/26
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: RB Zonovan Knight
- Signed: LS Casey Kreiter
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: C Corey Levin, LB Channing Tindall
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: DE Trevis Gipson, TE James Mitchell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Jack Stoll
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Tyrus Wheat
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: FB Adam Prentice
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: OLB Brenton Cox, DT Jonathan Ford
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: LS Josh Harris
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Zayne Anderson, TE Ben Sims
New England Patriots
- Signed: S Mike Brown, TE Julian Hill
New York Giants
- Re-signed: LB Zaire Barnes
New York Jets
- Re-signed: OT Max Mitchell
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: OL Jack Driscoll
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: RB Patrick Taylor
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: LS Chris Stoll
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Malik Herring
NFL Restructures: Clark, Packers, Meinerz, Falcons, Saints, Eagles
As the Cowboys made another trade to acquire a higher-end Packers defender salary (Rashan Gary‘s four-year, $96MM deal), they are restructuring the one they added last summer. Dallas is reducing Kenny Clark‘s 2026 cap number with a restructure, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. As Connor Byrne’s Cowboys Offseason Outlook detailed, Clark was due an $11MM roster bonus Friday; Dallas is moving that into a signing bonus to open up $8.8MM in cap space. This will drop Clark’s cap number well south of its $21.5MM place, though it would create more dead money if he is not extended by the 2027 league year. An extension is on the Cowboys’ radar, even as the former first-round pick goes into an age-31 season. With Clark signed through 2027, however, it is possible this restructure will table any extension talks.
With the cap-compliance deadline less than 24 hours away, here are more restructure decisions:
- Trading Gary to the Cowboys and cutting Elgton Jenkins, the Packers are busy at work with cost-shedding moves. They also completed an Xavier McKinney restructure, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The move will save more than $9MM in space for Green Bay. McKinney will also secure an additional $11.54MM guaranteed — on top of his $23MM guarantee from March 2024 — according to Wilson, who adds the Pack included three void years to defray the bonus money. McKinney’s cap hit is down to $9.86MM.
- The Broncos have mostly used free agency to retain their own talent thus far, but the team is adding eight figures of cap space as of Tuesday. Denver is restructuring Quinn Meinerz‘s deal, according to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, who notes this is a simple restructure of the All-Pro guard’s 2026 base salary. Moving it to a signing bonus, the Broncos will free up around $11MM. The Broncos sit mid-pack in cap space, holding more than $23MM.
- Troy Andersen will be part of the 2026 Falcons. At least, he will have an opportunity to contribute, with SI.com’s Garrett Chapman reporting the linebacker agreed to a restructure to avoid his contract tolling from 2025. Andersen missed all of last season, spending it on the reserve/PUP list. A player who spends the season on the PUP can see his contract toll in the final year of a deal; a knee injury sidelined the former second-round pick last season. This amounts to a de facto re-signing, since Andersen’s four-year rookie deal was set to expire Wednesday. The team confirmed the restructure, per Falcons.com’s Tori McElhaney and Will McFadden.
- One of the NFL’s long-running restructure hubs, the Saints are adding another before the league year begins. New Orleans is saving $7.36MM in cap space by restructuring Erik McCoy‘s deal, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. One void year is being added to the center’s contract. McCoy’s deal runs through 2027; three void years are now included.
- The Jaguars completed a simple restructure of center Robert Hainsey‘s deal, according to Spotrac, with the move saving the team $4MM in cap space. Three void years are now on Hainsey’s deal, Wilson adds.
- Michael Carter II will stay with the Eagles in 2026, but it sounds like he has agreed to a pay cut. Carter’s deal is being restructured in order for the 2025 trade acquisition to remain on the roster, The Athletic’s Zach Berman tweets.
Broncos To Release LB Dre Greenlaw
MARCH 10: The Broncos are planning to use one of their two allotted post-June 1 designations to make this release. Greenlaw will be cut Wednesday as a result, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson tweets. A post-June 1 move will save $8.19MM in cap space for the Broncos, though they cannot use that money until June.
MARCH 9: Agreeing to terms to bring back Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, the Broncos are bailing on their other primary 2025 linebacker. Dre Greenlaw is out after one season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Greenlaw was due to see a $2MM salary guarantee this week. The Broncos will not pay that and will instead move on from the increasingly injury-prone talent. Because of Greenlaw’s Super Bowl LVIII Achilles tear and the ensuing near-season-long absence in 2024, the Broncos were able to sign him by guaranteeing one year of a three-year contract. Denver will use the escape hatch in the deal.
Before training camp, Greenlaw suffered a quad injury. He then sustained a separate quad injury during camp, leading to an IR placement to start the season. The former Fred Warner San Francisco sidekick then sustained a hamstring injury in December, costing him time to close the regular season. While Greenlaw returned for the playoffs, he played just eight regular-season games — losing another due to a suspension — during his time as a Bronco.
Formerly one of the NFL’s best linebackers, Greenlaw has seen his stock fall since that seminal Achilles tear. While that made a significant difference in the 49ers’ defensive plan against the Chiefs in an overtime loss, Greenlaw played only a few dozen snaps in 2024. The 49ers still out-offered the Broncos — though, it was never specified if that meant in total compensation, AAV or guarantees — for Greenlaw after an 11th-hour push in 2025, but Denver won out. But the payoff did not come.
Denver will save just more than $6MM by releasing Greenlaw, who played his age-28 season in Colorado. Even though Greenlaw’s three-year, $31.5MM deal did not pan out, he should have a chance to bounce back. Though, the former 49ers fifth-rounder’s injury issues may bring a one-year “prove it” deal at this point.
In retaining Singleton and Strnad, the Broncos will be going with two 30-something starters at linebacker. Singleton is 32, while Strnad will turn 30 this year. It would not surprise to see the defending AFC West champs add a piece early in the draft. For now, though, a Singleton-Strnad duo is in place.
NFL Announces 2026 Compensatory Picks
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2026 draft. Based on an add/subtract formula that covers the 2025 free agency period, comp picks span from Round 3 to Round 7. The higher picks go to the teams that endured the most significant free agent losses.
This year, the NFL awarded 33 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks to franchises who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks.
Sorted by round and by team, here are the league’s 2026 compensatory selections:
By round:
Round 3: Vikings (No. 97), Eagles (98), Steelers (99), Jaguars (100, from Lions*)
Round 4: 49ers (No. 133), Raiders (134), Steelers (135), Saints (136), Eagles (137), 49ers (138), 49ers (139), Jets (140)
Round 5: Ravens (No. 173), Ravens (174), Raiders (175), Chiefs (176), Cowboys (177), Eagles (178), Jets (179), Cowboys (180), Lions (181)
Round 6: Steelers (No. 214), Eagles (215), Steelers (216)
Round 7: Colts (No. 249), Ravens (250), Rams (251), Rams (252), Ravens (253), Colts (254), Packers (255), Bronc0s (256), Broncos (257)
By team:
- Baltimore Ravens: 4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 4
- San Francisco 49ers: 3
- Dallas Cowboys: 2
- Denver Broncos: 2
- Indianapolis Colts: 2
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2
- Los Angeles Rams: 2
- New York Jets: 2
- Detroit Lions: 1
- Green Bay Packers: 1
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 1
- Kansas City Chiefs: 1
- Minnesota Vikings: 1
- New Orleans Saints: 1
* = awarded for Lions DC Aaron Glenn becoming Jets’ HC
The Bears lost a minority executive to a GM role, with Ian Cunningham taking over in Atlanta. But the NFL will not award Chicago two third-round picks for that hire because the Falcons have Matt Ryan positioned as their president of football. Although Cunningham — Chicago’s assistant GM for four years — holds plenty of organizational say, Ryan is atop its front office hierarchy. The Bears disagree with the NFL’s ruling, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
Bears GM Ryan Poles confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the team spoke with the NFL about the matter, but the league did not rule in the team’s favor. Had this decision gone the Bears’ way, they would have received third-round picks in the 2026 and ’27 drafts.