What Comparable Deals Say About Ja'Quan McMillian's Next Contract

The Denver Broncos have multiple players who were either drafted in 2023 or signed as undrafted free agents that year or the year before who are now eligible for new contracts. Among those players is cornerback Ja'Quan McMillan, who has emerged as a quality player over the past few seasons.

McMillian recently checked in at No. 18 in our top 25 Broncos of 2026.

An undrafted free agent in 2022, McMillan was relegated to the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster for one game. In 2023, he made the 53-man roster and has been an important part of the defense ever since.

McMillan has six interceptions and 24 pass breakups in the past three seasons. He's also shown he can be an effective blitzer with seven sacks and 11 quarterback pressures. He may be most noteworthy for his interception against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs last season.

Sean Payton has hinted he sees McMillan as an important part of the roster moving forward, and the player's agent revealed in June that conversations have begun with the Broncos, but what would the corner be worth in an extension? It might help to look at comparable players to determine that.

For starters, while McMillan has shown he can handle duties as a No. 2 cornerback, the Broncos might view him more as a slot. That could keep his price point down, but it won't necessarily mean the Broncos get him at a low cost.

McMillan, who is on a second-round restricted free agent tender for $5.767 million, might best be compared to cornerbacks who don't have a lot of starts but have shown they can contribute in a significant role.

Comparable Cornerbacks

Let's examine the cornerbacks who recently signed new deals, who may be best compared to McMillian.

Marcus Jones | New England Patriots: Jones was a third-round pick in 2022 who has played 48 games in the past four seasons and started 22. He's had six interceptions and broken up 28 passes.

Jones signed a three-year, $36 million extension back in 2025, with $17.5 million fully guaranteed. He has an additional $4.5 million in injury-only guarantees.

Montaric Brown | Jacksonville Jaguars: A seventh-round pick in 2022, Brown started 29 games and saw more starts in the past two seasons. He's had three interceptions and 12 pass breakups in his career.

Brown signed a three-year, $31.8 million contract with $20.65 million fully guaranteed. He did get a good portion of his money fully guaranteed, but didn't get as much as Jones, likely because he hasn't been as productive.

Cor'Dale Flott, Tennessee Titans: Flott has a lot of starts but hasn't stood out as a No. 2 cornerback. In four seasons with the New York Giants, the former third-round pick had three interceptions and 25 pass breakups.

The Titans gave him a three-year, $45 million contract with $32 million fully guaranteed. They did commit to him for two full seasons, but other No. 2 cornerbacks got paid more.

The Takeaway

Jones may be the best comparison to McMillan. And that means that McMillan is likely to get more money than Jones.

The Flott contract enters the picture as McMillan could approach those numbers if he isn't extended before the season and puts together another quality season.

McMillan is arguably the one Broncos player scheduled to hit free agency in 2027 who should be extended before the regular season starts. The Broncos won't be able to keep everyone because of cap reasons, but they should be able to make things work with him.

The Broncos might be able to keep McMillan on a four-year, $56 million contract with $30 million fully guaranteed. However, if they don't get a deal done before the regular season starts, he could easily be in line for a larger deal than that.

The good news is the Broncos have had a good track record of extending players who have proven themselves, as we saw before and during the 2025 season. If they do believe McMillan is a key part of the future, it won't be a surprise if they get a deal done before the regular season starts.

In our next installment, we'll talk about the other key cornerback who is eligible for an extension: Riley Moss.

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