Sean Payton Downplays Broncos Starter's Absence from OTAs

Payton took to the podium following Thursday's practice.

Oct 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos defensive end John Franklin-Myers (98) reacts to a defensive stop in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Everything is "all good" between the Denver Broncos and starting defensive end John Franklin-Myers, who was not present during Thursday's open-media viewing of Organized Team Activities.

Head coach Sean Payton said he was not surprised by — and even downplayed — Franklin-Myers' absence.

"This is all voluntary," Payton told reporters. "He's had a good offseason."

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Franklin-Myers, who turns 29 in December, is entering his second season with the Broncos and, consequently, the final year of his $15 million contract. The former Jets standout is among several extension-eligible players, including fellow defensemen Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto, currently positioning for a lucrative payday.

Franklin-Myers' agent, Cliff Brady, assured 9NEWS' Mike Klis that the nonappearances at voluntary practice are not contractually related.

“JFM hasn’t been to OTAs for a few years now. No contract issues. He’ll be there for mini-camp," Brady told Klis. "He’s currently working his ass off to have the best season of his career.”

The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson reported on May 3 that Franklin-Myers would spend "several weeks" in Dallas training with pass-rush specialist BT Jordan. He then planned to possibly attend the second round of OTAs (June 3-5) but "definitely" show for the team's mandatory minicamp from June 10-12.

This appears to have been communicated with Payton ahead of time, and unless Franklin-Myers unexpectedly changes course, it shouldn't be an issue moving forward.

Franklin-Myers graded out as Denver's top pass-rushing defensive lineman last season, per Pro Football Focus, en route to notching career-highs in solo tackles (18), tackles-for-loss (8), quarterback hits (18), and sacks (7.0) across 533 snaps. He's firmly entrenched as a starting DE opposite Allen, who's reportedly angling for a deal in the neighborhood of $25 million annually.

“You’ve seen how we’ve done our business. Typically, let’s get through the draft," Broncos general manager George Paton said in March regarding player extensions. "We’ll be open to conversations after the draft and into the summer and sometimes into the season as well.”