Denver HC Sean Payton Explains Why Broncos Extended C Luke Wattenberg
To some outsiders, it came as a bit of an eyebrow-raiser when the Denver Broncos on Tuesday handed starting center Luke Wattenberg a four-year contract extension worth $48 million, including $27 million guaranteed.
To Broncos head coach Sean Payton, it seemed like a no-brainer move, preventing Wattenberg from reaching the unrestricted free-agent market next year.
“[It’s] good and I think it’s a credit to Luke,” Payton told reporters Wednesday. ”We lost a really good center in free agency a couple years ago. Again, there is a vision. [He’s] 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. We are excited for him and of course [K] Wil [Lutz]. All three of those guys.”
A 2022 fifth-round pick drafted by the previous regime, Wattenberg has been Denver’s primary pivot man under Payton dating back to the beginning of last season, appearing in 24 games over that span while succeeding former starter Lloyd Cushenberry, who defected to Tennessee in 2024.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound blocker is currently grading out asPro Football Focus' No. 20 C among 38 qualifiers, spearheading a Broncos line that’s allowed the fewest sacks in the league (13) entering Week 13.
“His football I.Q. is really sharp. He’s athletic. He does a good job in to the second level. He’s really improved in his protections,” Payton said of Wattenberg. ”All of it, you just see the curve still going upwards. Those are a few things.”
With the ink dry on his deal, the Broncos now have the entirety of their OL — left tackle Garett Bolles, left guard Ben Powers, right guard Quinn Meinerz, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, and Wattenberg — locked down for the foreseeable future.
Payton Talks Roach Pact
In addition to Wattenberg, the Broncos during their recent bye week also struck agreements with kicker Wil Lutz on a three-year contract extension and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach on a three-year arrangement.
A longtime Payton favorite — they spent time together with the Saints — Roach is now under team control through the 2028 season.
“When we left for the Bye, [General Manager] Geroge [Paton] and I talked. There were a handful of opportunities to at least visit with these guys. Speaking on [DT] Malcolm [Roach], his versatility and there are a lot of things—his flexibility position-wise and all the other things he brings to the team, it was a good fit,” Payton said.
Chychrun’s clutch performance sealed the win, highlighting his impact since joining Washington
Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored the game-winning goal with under four minutes left in regulation of a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night at Capital One Arena. The Capitals erased a two-goal deficit with a three-goal third period in their first multi-goal comeback of the 2025-26 season. Washington improves to 14-9-2 with the win. Toronto drops to 10-11-3 with the regulation loss, including a disappointing 2-7-0 road record in 2025.
Game Recap
Anthony Beauvillier slipped a puck past Joseph Woll just 16 seconds into the game. But the goal was wiped off the board due to an early whistle as the referee blew the play dead before the crowd in downtown D.C. could truly erupt into chaos. The Maple Leafs responded to the fortunate break as Morgan Rielly scored three minutes later to provide Toronto with a 1-0 lead. The visiting Maple Leafs entered the first intermission with the lead despite being doubled up in shots by the home Capitals (10-5).
Matthew Knies beat Logan Thompson with a snap shot to score his sixth goal of the season early in the second period, increasing the Maple Leafs’ lead to 2-0. The Capitals battled back to cut that lead in half on Connor McMichael‘s backhand goal at 13:18 of the middle frame for a 2-1 game. Once again, Toronto owned the lead despite trailing in the shot count, 23-10, after two periods.
Beauvillier tied the game, 2-2, on a snap shot at 13:16 of the third period as he officially received credit for his fifth of the season. Chychrun slapped a puck over the shoulder of Woll less than three minutes later to give Washington a late 3-2 lead on a play set up by a smooth, cross-ice seam pass from Ryan Leonard. Tom Wilson sealed the win on the empty net for a 4-2 Washington win, his team-leading 13th goal of the season.
With his game-winning goal, Chychrun becomes the second Washington defenseman to score in five straight games, joining Mike Green from the 2008-09 season. The 27-year-old extends his point streak to 10 games, matching the Capitals’ longest such streak by a Washington defenseman, which was accomplished twice in franchise history by Al Iafrate during the 1992-93 season and Robert Picard in the 1978-79 campaign.
Up Next
Following the loss, Toronto will depart Washington, D.C., for a quick trip north to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Maple Leafs will have a quick turnaround with a Saturday night matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena tomorrow night. Washington will also travel north for its next contest, a Saturday night matchup against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. It will be the first of a four-game road trip for the Capitals, which takes them out west following their date on Long Island.
