According to multiple reports, including NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Denver Broncos signed center Luke Wattenberg to a four-year, $48 million dollar extension that includes $27 million in guaranteed money.
Apparently, those talks went well as Wattenberg has agreed to a new four-year extension with the Broncos.
Wattenberg is a former 5th-round selection by the Broncos in the 2022 NFL Draft and has become a consistent part of their offensive line. Over four seasons, he has appeared in 47 games for the Broncos, including 25 starts. He won the Broncos’ starting center competition last summer and has been quarterback Bo Nix’s center the past two seasons. While he may not be the best center in the NFL, Wattenberg has been solid overall and is a key part of the Broncos’ current top-ranked unit. It would make sense for the Broncos to keep him around.
I’m personally a fan of this deal. Continuity is important, and something this team lacked along the offensive line prior to Sean Payton joining the team. Now, the Broncos have the same starting five offensive linemen locked up for a third straight season. That’s even more important when this offensive line is regarded as one of the best units in the NFL.
If the Broncos let Wattenberg walk, they would have had a hard time finding a viable replacement. The free agent market looked thin, and it would be risky to head into this draft looking for a day-one-ready starter in this draft class.
On top of that, the Broncos now have one less major hole to address this upcoming offseason. Now, Wattenberg joins a growing list of players to receive extensions that includes Pat Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Courtland Sutton, Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper, Garett Bolles, Quinn Meinerz, Wil Lutz, and others.
The Broncos are locking up their own and keeping the core of this team intact. This is what the well-run and successful organizations do, which allows them to have prolonged success, and I am thankful that the Broncos are following this philosophy.
