Alex Palczewski

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Broncos secured solid starter value with Alex Palczewski's two-year, $9.5M extension, earning a C+ CVI that reflects fair market pricing for a dependable interior lineman. At $4.8M annually, Denver paid right around the going rate for a guard who's proven he can hold down a starting role without being a liability, though he's not elevating the unit to elite status. The modest $5.6M in guaranteed money keeps the team's risk manageable while the short-term structure allows flexibility to reassess after two seasons. This deal represents exactly the type of steady, unsexy move successful franchises make to maintain offensive line depth — paying a known commodity what he's worth rather than gambling on upside or getting burned by overpaying for name recognition. For a Broncos team focused on protecting their young quarterback investment, locking up a reliable guard at reasonable terms checks the box without breaking the bank or creating future salary cap headaches.

Performance Analysis

Alex Palczewski grades out as a below-average starter at his position, and the performance marks here reflect a third-year guard who has yet to distinguish himself as a reliable weekly contributor at the NFL level. The most useful thing the data tells us about his season is availability — he appeared in all 17 games, which at minimum signals durability and the kind of professional dependability that keeps a roster spot warm on a 14-3 team. That said, appearing in games and making an impact are two different things, and there is nothing in his profile that suggests he is pushing into solid-starter territory, let alone above-average at the guard position. His re-signing on a two-year, $9.5M deal at $4.8M AAV fits the organizational framing almost exactly — Denver wanted to retain a versatile offensive lineman at mid-tier pricing, not lock up a cornerstone of the line. The media framing around this deal is telling: the language of "brings back" and "agrees to" is transactional, not celebratory, which tracks with a front office that sees Palczewski as a dependable depth and rotation piece rather than a featured name in their offensive construction. As a 26-year-old undrafted player with three seasons logged, his developmental ceiling is largely known at this point, and the trajectory aligns with a career as a quality backup or swing lineman on a competitive roster rather than a player ascending toward a starting role. The Broncos are clearly operating as a win-now organization right now, and retaining a versatile, low-drama lineman at a manageable number makes roster sense even if it does not generate excitement.