The Denver Broncos have joined other NFL teams in paying a guard $20 million per year by extending their former draft pick, Quinn Meinerz.
The guard market in the NFL has seen significant growth in 2024, with many guards signing large contracts. Quinn Meinerz of the Broncos is the latest example, signing a four-year, $80 million extension.
Currently, there are five guards earning at least $20 million annually: Meinerz, Landon Dickerson, Chris Lindstrom, Robert Hunt, and Quenton Nelson.
Additionally, six other guards earn at least $15 million per year, making a total of 19 guards who earn at least $10 million per season.
Eleven guards have contracts valued at $50 million or more. The recent explosion in the market reflects the NFL’s high demand for strong offensive line performance, which is often seen as a weak point across the league.
Of course, the left and right tackle positions are crucial on the offensive line, but now guards are starting to earn salaries similar to tackles, to some extent.
The center position is typically the lowest-paid among the offensive line positions, but there are still five centers making at least $10 million per season.
Yes, the NFL salary cap tends to increase each season, so contracts are only going to become larger.
Quinn Meinerz was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft from D3 Wisconsin-Whitewater, so his journey to success has been a long time coming. He established himself in 2023 as the best run-blocking guard in football and also shows great skill as a pass-blocker.
The Denver Broncos have made significant investments in their offensive line, with players like Meinerz, Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, and Mike McGlinchey all signing substantial contracts.
