The Denver Broncos have declined left tackle Garett Bolles’ fifth-year option for the 2021 season, the team announced Friday.
If the option had been picked up, Bolles would have been owed a little more than $11 million next season. Instead, Bolles is now set to become a free agent next spring.
Bolles (6-5, 300 pounds) was selected by the Broncos in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft (20th overall). Bolles has done a great job staying healthy, starting 48-straight games, but his performances have been inconsistent.
Bolles has allowed 15.5 sacks in his career, an average of 0.323 sacks per game, which isn’t a terrible average. He has averaged nearly one penalty per game, though, and that’s a big problem. Opposing teams have accepted 10-plus penalties called against Bolles in each of the last three seasons.
This offseason, Bolles will compete with Elijah Wilkinson for the starting left tackle job.
Bolles is set to have a base salary of $1,969,351 in 2020, according to Spotrac.com. By the time his four-year rookie contract expires, Bolles will have earned a total of $11,243,509.
Bolles will have a salary cap hit of $3,510,154 this season (that’s his base salary plus $1,540,803 from a prorated signing bonus cap hit).
Entering his fourth season, Bolles will turn 28 years old on May 27.
