P.J. Locke played in the Broncos’ wild-card loss but was then unable to participate in team drills during minicamp this spring. The sixth-year safety was sidelined as a result of the spinal surgery he underwent following the 2024 campaign. 
As detailed in a video released on Locke’s YouTube channel, an MRI conducted one day after Denver’s season came to an end revealed a spinal fusion would be necessary. The procedure was a success, something which is key for Locke and the Broncos’ secondary. A full recovery in time for training camp is expected, Luca Evans of the Denver Post reports.
“I feel like, man, it’s just been a miracle,” Locke said in the video when reflecting on his recovery process. “I feel like it’s been a breakthrough that I’ve been praying for.”
A former UDFA, Locke did not register any starts across his first three Broncos seasons. He took on a much larger workload in 2023, however, logging a 69% snap share. Last season, the 28-year-old was on the field for over 1,000 defensive snaps. He is in position to once again handle a starting workload this year alongside free agent addition Talanoa Hufanga. Those two will be counted on to help repeat last year’s defensive success (No. 3 in points allowed) in 2025.
Locke re-signed with the Broncos last March, and the $3.5MM average annual value of that pact represented a notable raise from his previous deals. The Texas product enters the coming campaign as a pending free agent, though, so his performance will be critical in determining his future. Provided the final stages of his rehab process go as planned, Locke will be available once training camp starts later this month in advance of an important campaign for himself and the Broncos.