Broncos decline fifth-year contract option on left tackle Garett Bolles

The Broncos have declined the fifth-year contract option on left tackle Garett Bolles, the team announced Friday.

Bolles, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2017, is scheduled to make $3.5 million this year and will be a free agent next March.

The Broncos had until Monday to announce their decision. According to salary cap expert Joel Corry, the fifth-year option for Bolles was expected to be $11.064 million.

The fifth-year option was introduced in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement and states that if the player gets his option exercised, his fifth-season salary is guaranteed only for injury.

Since the introduction of the fifth-year option for first-round picks, the Broncos have picked up the option on outside linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Bradley Roby and declined the option on defensive tackle Sylvester Williams and outside linebacker Shane Ray. Quarterback Paxton Lynch was released before an option decision needed to be made.

Bolles has played in every game of his NFL career and missed only one snap combined in the 2018 and ’19 seasons, but has been wildly inconsistent and penalty-prone. Since entering the league, Bolles has been called for 32 penalties (20 holding calls), 14 of which have been declined.

Last season, the Broncos wanted Elijah Wilkinson to challenge Bolles for playing time, but persistent knee injuries to Ja’Wuan James forced Wilkinson to play right tackle.

During last week’s draft, general manager John Elway said Wilkinson will compete with Bolles for the starting position.

“Garett’s going to compete for a job like everybody else on the football team,” Elway said. “We’re all about competition and the best player is going to play.”