NFL
Broncos’ Ja’Quan McMillian Could Be NFL’s Most Intriguing Restricted Free Agent
Broncos standout cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian is a restricted free agent garnering interest from NFL execs. Despite Denver’s strong defensive backfield, McMillian is viewed as a valuable asset. Likely to receive a second-round contract tender, his versatility makes him a sought-after player. However, with Denver’s surplus of cornerbacks, some wonder if a trade could be in the works. Whether McMillian remains with the Broncos or ends up elsewhere, his impact on the field is undeniable.
AFC Divisional Playoffs: Buffalo Bills v Denver Broncos by Perry Knotts | Getty Images
Broncos emerging impact cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian is one of the more intriguing restricted free agents in the NFL this offseason, according to rival executives.
NFL general managers and personnel executives anticipate Denver attempting to secure McMillian’s rights beyond 2026, but also wonder if the team’s glut of attractive defensive backs could lead to another team making they an offer they cannot refuse for one of them.
McMillian is in line for a second-round contract tender from Denver, meaning any club attempting to sign him to an offer sheet must be prepared to part with a second-round pick if the Broncos opted not to match. In reality, NFL clubs generally proceed as if restricted free agency is taboo, some in NFLPA circles believe it’s akin to a form of collusion, so despite McMillian’s highly impressive game film it’s virtually certain no one will sign him to an offer sheet.
Denver boasts perhaps the league’s premier group of cornerbacks, but view McMillian as an elite talent who can toggle between the nickel spot inside and serving as a ball-hawking boundary corner as well.
McMillian, 25, would likely land $15M-$18M a season on the open marker given his hybrid skillset. He would earn roughly $6M on the second-round tender in 2026, and his price will only soar a year from now if he continues to be as impactful in what’s again expected to be a premier defense.
So What’s Next For McMillian?
“They’re going to want to tie him up,” said one NFL general manager who wouldn’t mind executing a trade for a Denver defensive back to improve his secondary.
“I would. We don’t have what they have back there, so maybe that’s too easy for me to just say like that. But he’s a keeper. I know what they’re paying (top corner Patrick) Surtain, and they took (corner Jahdae) Barron in the first round (last year) and (corner) Riley Moss (taken in the third round in 2023) is a nice player too. It’s a good problem to have, but maybe that means (head coach) Sean (Payton) would move one of them?”
McMillian has proven to be one of the more durable and flexible young corners in the game and he’s also been used more in a pass-rushing role. He registered four sacks and eight pressure last season to go with one of the best missed tackle rates for corners, while earning top coverage grades from Pro Football Focus.
Plenty of personnel men would say you can never have too many good corners, but it’s also going to be difficult for Denver to end up paying all four of these defensive backs and field a balanced roster.
La Canfora has covered over 20 Super Bowls and League Meetings and NFL drafts, building a wide network of sources throughout all aspects of the game. He was an award winning print journalist as well, working at The Detroit Free Press and The Baltimore Sun prior to his first stint at The Washington Post. He has covered sporting events around the world, including two Winter Olympics and all of the 2006 World Cup. He attended his first NFL game in 1978, and would soon kindle what has become a lifelong love and appreciation of the sport. La Canfora is also a professional handicapper, specializing in the NFL, creating a daily sports wagering game show - "Wanna Bet?" He also hosts nationally broadcast NFL radio shows in the US, as well as a daily sports radio show in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.