P.J. Locke had a breakthrough during his fourth Broncos season.
In the last two minutes of Week 7’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Locke made a cut across the field to intercept a deep pass from quarterback Jordan Love inside Broncos territory, sealing a 19–17 victory.
Denver went on a five-game winning streak after the safety’s first career interception. Locke went from being a mainstay on special teams to starting in place of veteran Kareem Jackson while serving two bans for illegal hits before being released in December.
Now that Locke is expected to become a free agent, the Broncos must decide what to do. Locke stated he doesn’t want to think about the future, but he will seize the chance to continue as Denver’s starting safety.
“Definitely, if everything goes that way,” he said to reporters this month.
This offseason, Denver has a long list of things it has to work out. One of the more important decisions is whether or not to resign Locke, particularly in light of the safety room’s current state.
Two plays into a Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Caden Sterns, who has had season-ending injuries the last two years, tore his patella tendon. He is now rehabilitating.
Sterns anticipates to part in OTAs and the offseason programme, but he is unsure if he will play all out. In the meanwhile, during the team’s home victory against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17, second-year safety Delarrin Turner-Yell tore his ACL.
Although Denver has great expectations for JL Skinner, their sixth-round draft choice in 2023, the former star player from Boise State only saw one defensive play in two games during the previous campaign and is still entirely untested.
Furthermore, Justin Simmons, who The Associated Press named a second-team All-Pro, is nearing the end of his contract and has no guaranteed income.
If Denver chooses to keep Locke, he will have a good chance of securing a starting berth given the abundance of uncertainty around the position.
Locke was instrumental in Denver’s defensive transformation. Locke established a noteworthy role while Jackson was absent due to a toe injury, missing the first four games due to the injury. In 12 games (eight starts), he participated in 69% of Denver’s defensive plays and finished with 53 tackles, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles.
Locke was a strong physical player who also brought another dimension to the game with three sacks gained from blitzing the quarterback. Pro Football Reference reports that he blitzed nine times in 2023, which is second most for a Denver defensive back behind cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian’s 19 blitzes.
Locke used his speed and timing to fly in off the edge and strip-sack quarterback P.J. Walker in the victory over the Browns in November. In Week 14, he did the same thing against the Chargers, slipping past offensive lineman Rashawn Slater to strip-sack quarterback Easton Stick, who was not anticipating the oncoming pressure.
Defence coordinator Vance Joseph remarked, “Some guys have a knack for timing and a knack for gaining speed and making left and right turns quickly.” “He has a certain flair. When he blitzes clean, he hits his mark and doesn’t miss many opportunities.
Denver won’t be a major spender in free agency because of the salary cap predicament. If Locke, who made $1.4 million in 2023, signs a new contract, the Broncos will have an affordable, valuable player who is accustomed to the defence.
Locke might benefit from agreeing to a one-year contract with the Broncos as well. Should he come back and improve on his 2023 performance, he might position himself for a larger salary in 2025.
Locke declared, “When the time comes, we will think about it.”
