ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In a rather substantial bounce back in a prove-it season, Garett Bolles has signed a four-year contract extension with the Denver Broncos that will make him one of the highest-paid left tackles in the NFL.
The deal keep Bolles with the Broncos through the 2024 season and will average out to $17 million a year with as much as $68 million total, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The contract would currently put Bolles fifth in the league among tackles in average dollars per year, behind only David Bakhtiari, who signed a contract extension earlier this month, Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley and Lane Johnson. Bolles may have even hinted at the new deal earlier this week when he was asked about being recognized for his vastly improved play this year, including the possibility of his first Pro Bowl selection.
“This is a great organization, I love Denver, I love the fans here, I love everything about here,” Bolles said Tuesday. “I know you all kicked me in the butt over the years, but that’s just something that I took and was for me to change, and if it wasn’t for me to change, I know I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I took that very seriously and I took it into this offseason. I fixed the things I did (wrong) and this is me, and I’m not going anywhere.”
That’s a long way from the Broncos declining the fifth-year option on Bolles’ deal earlier this year as the former first-round pick in 2017 had led the league in holding penalties, and been among the league leaders in penalties overall, in each of his first three seasons.
But Bolles, with his own fervent work in the offseason and the continued guidance from offensive line coach Mike Munchak, has consistently been one of the league’s highest-rated tackles this season. He’s the No. 9 tackle overall, and No. 6 among left tackles, in pass-block win rate according to ESPN’s Stats and Information.
Bolles has not surrendered a sack this season and has just three holding penalties in 10 games. Last season he had 13 holding penalties, 17 penalties overall to go with 11 holding penalties (14 penalties overall) in 2018 and 10 holding penalties (15 penalties overall) in 2017.
Terms of the deal was first reported by 9News in Denver.