The Denver Broncos have solved one piece of their inside linebacker puzzle by agreeing to terms with veteran Justin Strnad on a three-year, $18 million deal, according to a league source.
One of Denver’s longest-tenured players, Strnad originally joined the team as a fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2020. He spent the first part of his career primarily as a key special teams contributor, as he did not play a single defensive snap during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, over the past two seasons, he started a combined 17 games at inside linebacker as an injury replacement for Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw.
Strnad entered free agency determined to land a starting job, and the contract he signed with the Broncos suggests he’s been tabbed for such a role in 2026. Broncos general manager George Paton said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February that Denver wanted to bring both Strnad and Singleton back in 2026.
“Alex and Justin, we’d love to have those guys back,” Paton said. “We’d love to have them back, regardless of what’s in the draft. We see those guys as Broncos. If we let those guys leave, what are we doing?”
Keeping Strnad gives the Broncos a lengthy, athletic presence in the middle of the defense. He has produced 7.5 sacks the past two seasons, becoming a high-percentage blitzer who fits well into Vance Joseph’s attack-happy scheme. During that same span, he recorded 13 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits. He also improved in coverage during the 2025 season, limiting quarterbacks to a career-best 65.6 passer rating when targeting him, according to Pro Football Reference.
Strnad authored one of Denver’s biggest defensive plays of the 2025 season, making an interception of Jaxson Dart that lit the fuse on Denver’s 18-point, fourth-quarter comebackagainst the New York Giants.
The question now is what other moves the Broncos will make at inside linebacker as the player-acquisition period begins. Strnad was one of two unrestricted free agents at the position for the Broncos, alongsideSingleton. Greenlaw is also under contract for the next two seasons, but he played in only eight games during his first season in Denver. The Broncos would save a little more than $6 million if they released him.
Still, it’s possible the Broncos could bring all three players back in 2026. Denver relied on all three last season, after all. But the Broncos could also aim to add a young talent to the position early in the draft, perhaps even with their first-round pick at No. 30.
