ENGLEWOOD – It’s the holiday season and it’s also contract extension season for the Broncos.

With the Broncos coming off a bye week, they sought to lock up some players who had been due to become free agents after the season. The latest to get a deal was defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who signed a three-year deal Wednesday that a source said is worth $24 million and could be worth as much as $29.25 million with incentives.

That follows kicker Wil Lutz signing Monday a three-year deal that a source said is worth $16.1 million and center Luke Wattenberg agreeing Tuesday to a four-year deal that a source said is worth $48 million. The Broncos officially announced Wednesday that Wattenberg had signed.

“When we left for the bye, (general manager) George (Paton) and I talked,’’ Denver coach Sean Payton said after Wednesday’s practice at Broncos Park. “There were a handful of opportunities to at least visit with these guys.”

The Broncos did a lot more than just visit with three key players. With the Broncos being 9-2 and having an eight-game winning streak entering Sunday’s game at Washington, optimism has increased even more for the future.

“I’m happy here,’’ Roach said of signing his extension. “I love it in Denver. … My family loves coming out here, so it’s a great mix. Everything came together at the right time.”

Roach, who had $14 million of his contract guaranteed, is a six-year veteran who spent his first four seasons with New Orleans after being undrafted out of Texas in 2020. He is in his second season with the Broncos after signing a two-year, $7 million deal in March 2024. He is under contract through 2028.

“Coming into this league, being undrafted, it’s something you’re kind of hunting,’’ Roach said of getting his big deal. “And I’ve been hunting for six years, I want to say. So, when the opportunity presented itself, and you kind of know it’s getting close to (happening), it was just a blessing. I’m just happy knowing I’m going to be here.”

Payton was thrilled that the Broncos locked up Roach.

“There are a lot of things (to like about him),” he said. “His flexibility position-wise and all the other things he brings to the team, it was a good fit.”

Roach has been the top reserve on the defensive line each of the past two seasons. But his role could increase even more next season.

Starting defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers confirmed a report by The Denver Gazette, saying he hasn’t been offered a contract extension despite wanting one. He said there is “some disappointment” and he expects to most likely become a free agent in March. However, he said still wants to re-sign with Denver.

If Franklin-Myers doesn’t return in 2026, that could mean more snaps for Roach as well as for Sav’ion Jones, a rookie this season.

“We’ve just got to find a way to keep our room together,” said Roach, who wants Franklin-Myers to be re-signed. “Get my dawg JFM right, and we’re going to be good.” 

As far as the offensive line is concerned, the Broncos wanted to ensure continuity. With Wattenberg locked up, he joins starting tackles Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey and starting guards Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers as being under contract for next year. Powers is on injured reserve with a biceps injury suffered in Week 5 at Philadelphia.

“Man, I couldn’t be happier,’’ Wattenberg said of his extension. “I just want to thank the whole Broncos organization. …. (The Broncos) invest in the trenches, like Sean always says, and I think it pays off for us. … I wanted to be a Bronco so bad. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. … (The Broncos) believed in me. They stuck with me through some tough times and some tough games.”

Wattenberg was a fifth-round pick out of Washington in 2022 who was a reserve his first two seasons. He moved into the starting lineup last season after center Lloyd Cushenberry left as a free agent to sign with Tennessee.

“We lost a really good center in free agency a couple years ago,’’ Payton said. “There is a vision. (Wattenberg is) a good, young player and it’s important to keep those guys in your building. I’ve been in the position where you are trying to draft a center and it’s one of those unique positions. If you say in the draft, ‘We’re going to draft a center that we feel like can start Year 1,’ that becomes difficult.”

Wattenberg is ranked by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s 20^th-best center. Taking into account his extension, which runs through 2029, Wattenberg’s $12 million average ties him for being the league’s fifth-highest paid center.

Wattenberg is making a base salary of $1.1 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal. He called getting the extension good timing since his wife Naomi is soon to have a baby.

“So, it’s a lot of uncertainty,’’ Wattenberg said. “But I’m just happy we got it done.” 

Payton had spoken Monday about Lutz’s extension, calling him “consistent” and saying “he has the respect of the locker room.” A source said Wednesday that Lutz’s contract includes a $5.2 million signing bonus and that $9 million of his deal is guaranteed.

For the immediate future, there also was plenty of optimism Wednesday at Broncos Park. Linebacker Alex Singleton returned to practice 19 days after undergoing testicular cancer surgery Nov. 7 and missing one game, and he is expected to play against the Commanders. Also expected to return Sunday after missing three games due to a pectoral strain is star cornerback Pat Surtain II, who was back on the practice field Wednesday.

And Payton said star running back J.K. Dobbins, placed on injured reserve Nov. 15 due to having foot surgery, “has a chance” to return this season although it “wouldn’t be soon.”

Throw in the injury news along with the extensions signed this week, and there was a lot to be thankful about at Broncos Park with Thanksgiving arriving Thursday.