The Denver Broncos gave linebacker Justin Strnad a three-year, $18 million contract extension in March 2026. Broncos head coach Sean Payton recently explained why the team values the linebacker to give him an extension.

"It's the essence of our league. From a coaching perspective, never to set a label on someone. You're always looking to see what he can do. What's the ceiling?" Sean Payton explained to reporters on June 11, as per Sports Illustrated.

After limited gametime in his initial three years, Strnad was a regular part of the last two campaigns, starting eight games in both 2024 and 2025.

"Our job is trying to get them to touch the ceiling if we can," Payton continued. "Sometimes we have to condition ourselves to think outside the box too. He's done that for us."

Payton pointed out that coaches shouldn't put permanent labels on players. Most people looked at Strnad only as a special teams depth piece. Not many expected a $6 million annual salary for a player buried on the depth chart.

But it wasn't easy for Justin Strnad. He was drafted in the fifth round back in 2020 out of Wake Forest by the Broncos.

He played zero defensive snaps across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. And was stuck on the special teams coverage units.

"It's obviously a dream-come-true type of thing. But in this league, it's always just the next-day mentality and always proving everything," Strnad said. "Obviously, the financial part is great, and I'm very blessed and very thankful to the organization to believe in me."

Justin Strnad rejected the Carolina Panthers in 2024 for Denver's $1.5 million deal.

That bet paid off in Week 3 of the 2024 season when starting linebacker Alex Singleton tore his ACL.

Strnad stepped up in Singleton's stead, starting eight games and playing over half the defensive snaps. He delivered big time under Sean Payton, racking up 73 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Last year, he improved this tally further by registering 4.5 sacks.

Justin Strnad's role in the 2026 squad

The 2025 season proved that his breakout performance wasn't some fluky accident.

Strnad signed a one-year, $2.7 million deal and stepped up for eight more starts when Dre Greenlaw battled thigh injuries, and Alex Singleton underwent surgery. Justin Strnad proved he could handle a heavy starting workload.

Across 2024 and 2025, he secured 131 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 7.5 sacks, and an interception over 33 appearances. Denver guaranteed him $10 million for 2026, cutting Greenlaw.

"Once the season is over, what you did last year doesn't matter, and that feels like a waste. Starting over is the key. Finding ways to get better…" Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph noted. "Starting over and chasing the process is our goal, and being better than we were last year."

His metrics over the last 2 seasons validate why Denver felt so safe giving him the big contract, as he contributed to the franchise's league-most sacks two years in a row.

Do you think Justin Strnad will live up to his new contract this season? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by

Nisarga Aseem Barkule

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote