10 players who will be wildly overpaid in 2023 NFL Free Agency

6. Dalton Risner, LG, Denver Broncos

There might not be any team in the NFL more desperate for offensive line help than the Denver Broncos, and yet they are poised to let Dalton Risner — who has started for them the last four years at left guard — walk in NFL Free Agency. What does that tell you?

Maybe the Broncos are fools for doing so, and we’ll find out. There’s one thing we know for sure — Dalton Risner is one of the best human beings in the NFL. He was the Broncos’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2022 and is well-deserving. He’s always doing great things in the community, adding value to others.

But what does Risner bring to the table as a player? Well, at Kansas State, he started at multiple positions and was pretty outstanding in a number of them. Coming to the NFL, he slotted in perfectly for the Broncos at left guard and he had a good rookie season where it looked like he would be a staple for years to come. But as the years have gone by, Risner has struggled to adequately protect the QB in Denver. Has Risner been the sole reason why that has happened?

Absolutely not. The Broncos have just routinely gotten blown up in the middle of the offensive line, and players like Risner and former third-round pick Lloyd Cushenberry have been weak links. When Risner hits free agency, some needy team is going to pay upwards of $12-14 million per year for his services.

I think the Broncos would gladly let him walk at that price and I also think they’re better off moving forward in another direction.