The Denver Broncos hit their Week 10 bye at 7-2, leading the AFC West.

The chaos of the NFL trade deadline and the botched Daiyan Henley deal with the Los Angeles Chargers have distracted from the scrutiny of a very important Broncos storyline.

Will Denver extend any players during this year's bye?

Remember, Broncos GM George Paton was a busy boy over last year's bye, extending center Luke Wattenberg, defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, and kicker Wil Lutz. The season prior, Paton locked up left tackle Garett Bolles with a four-year deal during Denver's Week 14 bye.

The precedent is set, and the 2026 Broncos have more than one player in a contract year who's worthy of a new extension. There are still a few days left for Paton to get something done before the team's attention turns fully to the Las Vegas Raiders, so let's examine where things might stand.

Ja'Quan McMillian | CB

The Broncos' nickel cornerback is playing on his one-year restricted free-agent tender, earning $5.8 million. He's set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season.

McMillian has appeared in all nine games thus far, with three starts, totaling 31 tackles (21 solo), four tackles for a loss, three sacks, seven pass breakups, and an interception. That interception helped Denver defeat the Seattle Seahawks in overtime back in Week 6.

At 26, McMillian is still young, and the Broncos can rely on his prime playing window remaining open for at least another three or four years. I'm not sure what more he has to do to earn an extension, but if the Broncos believe that Jahdae Barron would be able to fill the nickel role next year seamlessly, they've got another thing coming.

McMillian remains the Broncos' top extension candidate at the bye.

Riley Moss | CB

Moss, a 2023 third-round pick, has had some bad injury luck in his contract year. He dealt with a rib injury that set him back early this season, and suffered a concussion in the Broncos' Week 9 win over the Carolina Panthers.

But when Moss has been on the field, he's been excellent. He's only missed one start, totaling 27 tackles (17 solo), eight pass breakups, and one interception.

Moss has also done a much better job of avoiding penalties this season, though he hasn't been perfect. Through half the season, he's only further reinforced that he's one of the best No. 2 cornerbacks in the NFL, and worthy of a second contract.

If the Broncos don't extend Moss, some other team will pay him north of $20 million per year next spring, and that's the rub. The Broncos are already paying Patrick Surtain II big money, with significant cap dollars also tied up in safety Talanoa Hufanga, and they have to start planning for Bo Nix's extension, which could come as early as next offseason.

Brandon Jones | S

Jones was signed in 2024 to replace Justin Simmons, and he turned in a great year. Jones wasn't as good in 2025, but he has rebounded back to his 2024 form this season.

Jones is dealing with a hamstring injury that cost him a start last week, but otherwise, he's been a very reliable player for the Broncos. He has 55 tackles (34 solo), five pass break-ups, a fumble recovery, and two interceptions.

Jones has been a great complement to Hufanga; they make one heck of a safety duo. It's unfortunate that Hufanga has missed the last four games with an ankle injury, but Jones did some heavy lifting while his starting partner has been out.

At 28, Jones is still in his prime window, so if the Broncos were to re-sign him to a two-year extension, it would keep him around through 2028, and give the team an opportunity to reevaluate right after he turns 30. The Broncos don't have a viable replacement option to anticipate in 2027, so it would make a lot of sense to approach Jones now in hopes of getting him re-signed to a deal that is somewhat team-friendly.

Marvin Mims Jr. | WR/R

Mims has been disappointing in his contract year. There's no getting around it. He's had some bad injury luck, but when he's been on the field, the production hasn't been there.

As a receiver, Mims's effort is lacking, and he's simply not making plays when given the opportunity. Thus far, he has just 10 catches on 16 targets for 92 yards, with five carries for 30 yards.

Mims hasn't been as dynamic as a returner, either. As a punt returner, he's had a few good returns, but he's averaging a career-low 10.8 yards per return thus far.

If the Broncos are looking for red flags, there are plenty to be found. Mims hasn't been the same since he changed agents in the offseason, and it's definitely come out in the wash.

The Broncos could still look at re-signing Mims in the offseason, but I'd be stunned if an in-season extension came his way. He simply hasn't earned it this year.

Other Candidates: Ben Powers | LG & Evan Engram | TE

Given their age and relative impact this season, I don't think either Powers or Engram is on Paton's mind at the bye. Powers has been solid at left guard, but not spectacular, and the Broncos have already made plans for his departure after this season, drafting Kage Casey in the fourth round.

Engram has struggled to pick up the new blocking responsibilities the Broncos gave him this year, and has just 17 catches on 30 targets for 169 yards and a touchdown. The Broncos don't really have a post-2026 replacement for Evans in the fold, but it's a question the team will likely look to answer in the offseason.