ENGLEWOOD – Left tackle Garrett Bolles arrived in Denver in 2017 and he’s not planning to leave for a good while.

Bolles, the Broncos’ longest-tenured player, on Thursday signed a four-year contract extension that sources said is worth $82 million with $42 million guaranteed.

“This is a dream come true. … I get to be a Bronco for life and I’m just very grateful,’’ Bolles, 32, said after a practice at Broncos Park.

Bolles, making a base salary this season of $15.75 million, was in line to become a free agent in March but his new deal takes him through the 2028 season. He wants to stick around longer than that.

“I want to play as long as I can,’’ Bolles said. “I’m here for 12 years and hopefully I have two or three more years after that.”

Whether Bolles is still playing when he is closing in on 40 remains to be seen, but he made it clear that his top priority had been to stay with the Broncos.

“I could have hit free agency and earned more money or whatever it is,’’ Bolles said. “I never care about money, I cared about a legacy. I think legacy speaks volumes for the type of man (you are), and I wanted to create a legacy here.”

Bolles, taken out of Utah in 2017 with the No. 20 pick in the first round, is rated No. 16 out of 75 tackles by Pro Football Focus through the first 14 weeks this season. The Broncos, with the 2025 draft not being strong for tackles and knowing what the price might be to sign a left tackle in free agency, made it a priority to keep Bolles around to hopefully protect rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s blindside for years to come.

Bolles becomes the fourth Denver offensive linemen since Sean Payton arrived as head coach in February 2023 to get a lucrative contract or extension. The Broncos in March 2023 signed right tackle Mike McGlinchey to a five-year, $87.5 million deal and left guard Ben Powers to a four-year, $52 million contract. Last July, they signed right guard Quinn Meinerz to a four-year, $80 million extension that takes him through 2028.

All four of Denver’s top offensive linemen are under contract at least through 2026. Starting center Luke Wattenberg has a four-year rookie contract that runs through 2025 and becomes eligible for an extension after this season.

“That’s a rare thing is this league and I think we all appreciate it and are really excited about that,’’ McGlinchey told The Denver Gazette about the continuity in Denver’s line. “The closeness of this group just keeps getting better and I think that’s part of reason why we’re starting to play better, too.”

McGlinchey said Bolles’ extension was “well deserved.”

“I’m super happy for him,’’ McGlinchey said. “He’s been a great teammate, a great guy and I’m just so happy for him and his family. He’s worked so hard to separate himself as one of the premier tackles in this league and he got rewarded for it.”

Asked about Bolles’ contract extension, Powers said, “I love to see it.” He said the left tackle has “had an incredible year.”

But things haven’t always gone smoothly for Bolles in Denver. After the 2019 season, the Broncos elected not to pick up his fifth-year option for 2021, meaning 2020 became a contract season. But Bolles responded by being named second-team All-Pro, and re-signed on a four-year, $68 million deal.

“I continue to prove myself,’’ Bolles said about looking back at that season and about coming up big in another contract year. “I’ve always had to prove people wrong. I think that’s just my attitude and the love that I have. I think that’s what makes me successful. I have that extra edge to want to be great and to work hard. … I’m the biggest believer in myself.”

Bolles overcame a broken leg suffered in 2022 that forced him to miss the final 12 games. But Payton kept Bolles as his left tackle for 2023 when he could have been released.

“He could have let me walk, and believed in me,’’ Bolles said.

The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since 2015, which means Bolles has had seven straight seasons of staying home in the postseason. Bolles admits that has been tough but the streak soon could end with Denver being 8-5 entering Sunday’s game against Indianapolis.

“I’ve been through a lot,’’ Bolles said. “The last (seven) years haven’t been great. This year it just puts a different pep to my step of just winning. (I just) want to win and bring this state what it deserves, (which is) a championship.”

With the Broncos closing in on a playoff berth, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said Bolles’ play has been pivotal in their attack.

“He’s played really well this year,’’ Lombardi said. “I feel like he (had) a good year last year, but I think he’s really stepped it up.”

Bolles is now under contract until he is 36, but Lombardi is unconcerned about his age.

“He’s a rare athletic for that position,’’ Lombardi said. “I asked that question (Thursday), ‘How old is Garett?’ … That old-man strength I guess sticks around a little more.”

Other than having the injury suffered in 2022, Bolles has been very durable. Excluding that season, he has played in 107 of a possible 111 NFL games, starting them all.

“I take really good care of my body,’’ Bolles said. “I thrive on that. … I feel like I’ve been one of the most reliable offensive linemen in the league. I don’t miss games and I think it just speaks for how I eat and how I train. Not only that but the (fitness) team that I put together outside this building (has) put me in the best positions to come in this building with the mindset of dominating. … (I’m doing) that at a high level with my age.”

Bolles just might remain the Broncos’ longest-tenured player for a very long time.