The Denver Broncos found a key cog for their defensive line in the spring of 2022 when the San Francisco 49ers let D.J. Jones hit the free-agent market. The Broncos quickly scooped him up on a three-year, $30 million contract.
Jones has been a starter at nose tackle ever since, and is now on his second contract with the Broncos. As the NFL summer marches on, we’re continuing to count down the top 25 Broncos of 2026, arriving at No. 17: Jones. Let’s break down why he’s managed to stick around through two Broncos contracts, and what the future may hold.
Background
Jones got his start as a sixth-round pick of the 49ers in 2017. He immediately contributed to the team’s defensive line rotation, and started four games over his first two years.
By Year 3, Jones had earned a full-time starting spot, though he did miss time with some injuries and an illness during the pandemic season. Following the 2020 season, the 49ers re-signed him to a one-year deal, but didn’t offer any long-term commitment.
Jones hit the open waters of unrestricted free agency the next spring, and that’s when the Broncos enter the picture. He was signed to be a day-one starter, and that’s exactly what he has brought to the defense.
Jones is short for a defensive lineman, standing at 6-foot-0 and weighing 305 pounds, but he uses his size to his advantage to be the low man. And you know what they say: the low man wins.
Jones has some sneaky althleticism for his size, and contributes a couple of sacks each year. He’s often rotated out on passing downs, though, which is why his career-high in sacks is only three, which came last season.
The Broncos value Jones for his play on the field, but also his no-nonsense leadership. He’s definitely a team leader, but he’s a bit on the quiet side. A lead-by-example type of guy.
The Broncos extended Jones in the spring of 2025, signing him to another three-year deal, but with a raise this time. He got $39 million on his second contract in Denver.
Outlook
Having just turned 31, Jones enters his 10th NFL season. He was around for the Nathaniel Hackett depredations and the worst of the Russell Wilson era.
Jones has also been here since Day 1 of the Sean Payton regime. Jones has contributed mightily to the winning culture Payton has worked hard to cultivate, which was another big reason the Broncos wanted him back last year.
It will be interesting to see how much Jones’s playing time changes in 2026 with John Franklin-Myers gone. They played two different positions on the D-line, but Jones’s primary backup — Malcolm Roach — could be the new starter in JFM’s spot at defensive end opposite Zach Allen.
If that’s how it shakes out, the Broncos will need to have a decent nose tackle backup to help keep Jones fresh. It could still be Roach, who could just move over to the nose when Jones needs a breather, with, say, Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai’vion Jones, or Tyler Onyedim stepping into the defensive end spot.
The Broncos also have another pure nose tackle on the roster in Kristian Williams, but it’s hard to see him making the 53-man roster. You never know, though.
The Takeaway
Jones is on the wrong side of 30, but he’s coming off a career year. He hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down yet.
As a former sixth-round draft pick, making it to Year 10 in the NFL is quite the accomplishment. Along the way, Jones has made himself a lot of money.
His fingerprints are all over the Broncos’ big turnaround under Payton, and the plan is for Jones to continue to feature as the pivot on the defensive line for the next two seasons. He’s under contract through 2027, at which point, he’ll be 33.
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