Report: Denver Broncos Guard Ben Powers Could be Traded
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports Denver Broncos guard Ben Powers could be traded due to his value. That would mean Alex Palczewski's time is now.
With the NFL Combine wrapping up last weekend, a lot of trade and free agency rumors have surfaced, including that Denver Broncos guard Ben Powers could be traded.
That, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Powers is a seven-year veteran and has been Denver's starter at left guard the last three years.
Ben Powers Could Be Traded
According to Jeremy Fowler's reporting from the NFL Combine: Guard Ben Powers could be traded from Denver to a guard-needy team.
"Two offensive linemen to potentially be included in trades are Green Bay's Elgton Jenkins and Denver's Ben Powers. Both have large cap hits and potential value."
Powers is an $18M cap hit this year, and cutting him would mean eating $9.75M in dead cap. Trading him pre-June 1 results in the same amount of dead cap, but would mean $8.4M of additional cap space.
Currently, the Broncos have $26.2M in cap space. Trading Powers would increase that number to $34.6M. Powers is also in the last year of his deal. That means the Broncos are likely just hoping someone will trade for him and if not, Denver will cut Powers. They will save the same amount in cap either way.
They could also cut him and designate as a post June 1 release, therefore spreading his dead cap over two years (just like they did with Russell Wilson but on a much smaller scale).
If the Denver Broncos to trade Ben Powers, what will George Paton be looking for in return?
NFL free agency kicks off on March 11 at 2 p.m. MT with the legal negotiating period beginning one week from today on March 9 at 10 a.m. MT.
The Broncos have a ton of positions of need, including running back, wide receiver, linebacker, on the defensive line and more. I ranked their free agency needs on Mile High Sports.
David Montgomery seemed to be a solid answer at running back for the Broncos, but he was just traded to the Houston Texans.
Rich Kurtzman
Is Alex Palczewski's time now?
When Powers was hurt this year, Alex Palczewski stepped into the starting role for 10 games. The second year guard wasn't as good as Powers—who's a road grader guard in the run game—but the rumblings of Powers being on the trading block may show that Palczewski's time has come.
According to Pro Football Focus, Powers was graded at 62.4 (out of 100) last year, 39th among guards. That's a solid second guard.
But Palczewski struggled in comparison. He earned a 53.8 grade from PFF, which was 63rd or just inside starting ability. That's a somewhat big drop off compared to Powers.
"Palcho" as some fans call him, was also called for three penalties and allowed a sack in his limited time at left guard. He just finished his second season, so the expectation is he will continue to improve and grow with more playing time.
Denver was the No. 1 pass blocking offensive line for most of the season, and No. 4 in run blocking. On one hand, "Palcho" helped add to that. On the other, it will be interesting how well the unit performs with him as the full-time starter next year if Powers is traded.
For more AFC West-related rumors from the NFL Combine, read here:
Rich Kurtzman
Bo Nix's Jersey Selling Well in Mountain West
One more tiny tidbit of information: Bo Nix's jersey is the top-selling NFL jersey in three states; Colorado, Idaho, and Montana.
According to Lids, Bo Nix's jersey is the top-selling NFL jersey in three states: Colorado, Idaho, and Montana.
— Rich Kurtzman 🏈 (@sportsballitics.bsky.social) 2026-03-02T16:13:18.920Z
Nix has become a rising star over his first two seasons and we know fans across the region love the Broncos because they are the nearest team to their home states.
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Rich Kurtzman was born and raised in Denver Colorado and attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins in the aughts. He's been a professional writer since 2011, covering Colorado State football and men's basketball, as well as the Denver Broncos, for many outlets. Current Denver Broncos work can be found on Mile High Sports. Previous credits include CBS Denver and The USA TODAY Sports Media Group.
Pro Football Reference Links
Bo Nix Alex Palczewski Ben Powers
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