Three members of the Denver Broncos 2021 draft class have received raises for the coming season.
Offensive guard Quinn Meinerz and edge rushers Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper each earned proven performance escalators for the number of snaps they have played in their NFL careers.
The proven performance escalator is given to all players drafted in the second through seventh rounds who have reached a particular percentage of snaps or were named to the Pro Bowl. They result in the player getting a raise over the fourth-year salary they were set to earn when they originally signed their draft pick contract.
There are three levels of proven performance escalators:
* Level One is equal to the amount of the right of first refusal restricted free agent tender for the current year. It goes to second-round picks who either play 60 percent of the offensive or defensive snaps in two of their first three seasons, or average that amount in their first three seasons and for rounds three through seven, those who play 35 percent of the snaps in either situation.
* Level Two is equal to the amount of the original round RFA tender for the current year. This goes to any player taken after the second round who plays in at least 55 percent of the offensive or defensive snaps in each of his first three seasons.
* Level Three is equal to the amount of the second-round RFA tender for the current year. This goes to players selected to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot (not as an alternate) in any of their first three seasons.
Meinerz received the Level Two PPE, which nets him a $3.36M salary for 2024. Browning and Cooper each received the Level One PPE, which gives each player a $3.116M salary for 2024.
Meinerz is coming off his best season as a pro, and Cooper emerged as a solid starter. Browning, despite missing some time with injuries, played more than enough snaps and contributed a lot.
Missing out on PPE were Javonte Williams and Caden Sterns. Williams missed the bulk of the 2022 season, and Sterns missed the bulk of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, thus neither met the snap threshold requirements.
For the three that earned PPE, they have each proven their worth to some degree. To be sure, Williams and Sterns have shown promise, though the time they missed with injuries is a concern.
While the Broncos will have to account for higher salaries for three of their 2021 draft picks, they proved their worth. Now, the three will be out to prove they deserve even more money via extensions that keep them beyond the 2024 season.
