Have you ever wanted to invest in an athlete like you would in the stock market? Now you can.
Denver Broncos outside linebacker Baron Browning has recently become one of the first professional athletes to have shares that can be bought and sold online or through mobile apps like Google Play and the Apple App Store.
It’s a unique process, so let’s break it down.
Browning has signed a contract with Vestible that entitles the company to 1% of his future on-field income, in other words, his NFL salary. That 1% is then distributed to Browning’s Vestible shareholders throughout his career. The Broncos linebacker is set to make $3.1 million in 2024, by far the largest salary of his career thus far.
The initial offering opened back in mid-March when Vestible made 100,000 shares available at $10 apiece. Shareholders then receive monthly dividend distributions. Investors can also trade Browning’s stock on the Vestible platform.
For now, Browning is the only athlete you can buy stock in on the Vestible platform, but they’re bringing on four more football athletes in the near future.
Their identities have yet to be revealed publicly, but we can tell you there will be one offensive guard, defensive back, and two linebackers unveiled at a later date. What’s unique about these athletes is that they are all still in college football, meaning they haven’t even earned an NFL dollar yet.
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Why Baron Browning has upside
Vestible choosing Baron Browning as their first athlete is a fascinating endeavor.
The 25-year-old pass-rusher is headed into a contract year when many athletes have strong seasons to help boost their stock ahead of entering the open market in free agency. Browning has put together back-to-back seasons with 4.5 or more sacks for the Broncos while starting 17 of the 24 games he’s appeared in.
- Baron Browning stats (2023): 25 tackles (4 TFL), 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 pass deflections
Browning is once again expected to compete for a starting role in Denver this season, along with Nik Bonitto and rookie third-round pick Jonah Elliss, among others. Typically, pass rushers are some of the highest-paid players in the NFL, but only if you’re elite.
We haven’t seen Browning consistently play at the level you’d expect from a star, but he is well-regarded by advanced analytical platforms such as Pro Football Focus. In 2023, Browning earned a 74.5 overall grade from PFF, good for 41st among all edge defenders last season. By PFF’s standards, Browning is coming off the best season of his young career.
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