The Denver Broncos have already made some splashy signings, with Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw and Evan Engram inking deals with the team, but Denver has also done an impressive job extending some of their key contributors from the 2024 season.
Star defensive tackle D.J. Jones, swing tackle Matt Peart, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, backup linebacker Justin Strnad and long snapper Mitchell Fraboni are all set to return after agreeing with new terms with the team, preventing any new holes from cropping up around the roster and allowing Denver to target their greatest needs.
"It was very important [to remain a Bronco]," Jones told Broncos team reporter Elisa Hernandez. "It was very important to sign back. We enjoyed our time here to begin and just continuing [in Denver] is amazing. It's a blessing. Legacy means a lot to me."
Jones also cited his family's enjoyment of Denver as another reason he was excited to re-up with the team. Getting to play on a stacked defensive line was another motivating factor for Jones though.
"It's a special group," Jones said. "One of the more special groups I've been on, and I've been a part of some amazing groups of guys... We're getting better every day and I can't wait to get back with them."
That defense should only be getting more special this offseason, following the additions of Hufanga and Greenlaw.
Stidham was also excited to stay in Colorado, but he also shared being part of what head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton are building in Denver was another major motivating factor.
"That was a big reason I wanted to come back," Stidham recalled. "I feel like we're a team that's ascending and just seeing the growth over the last two years, not only in our [quarterback] room but as a team and as a whole [too]. I think, obviously, what George [Paton] and Sean [Payton] are doing is really special and I want to be a part of it."
Those relationships inside the facility were another motivator for Stidham.
"I've loved the time here the last two years and, y'know, I've got a great relationship with everyone in the organization," Stidham said to Hernandez after re-signing. "I couldn't be more excited to get back and get to work with Bo [Nix], and [quarterbacks coach] Davis [Webb], and the rest of the guys."
Denver's backup quarterback also offered a glimpse into the relationship he and Nix have fostered over the last year.
"Bo and I have become super close," Stidham shared. "He has a football camp next weekend in Alabama that I'm helping him work and everything. He asked me to be a part of that. We went on vacation together this offseason. So, we're just going to continue to grow together on and off the field."
With more optimism surrounding the team than there has been at any point in the past decade, it will be exciting to see just how far this squad can climb together.