ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It was the proverbial football no-brainer, but the Denver Broncos officially picked up the fifth-year option on cornerback Bradley Roby’s contract.

Roby, who was the Broncos’ first-round pick in the 2014 draft, is now signed through the 2018 season. The Broncos faced a May 4 deadline to make the decision and have officially engaged the option. In the current collective bargaining agreement, all first-round picks have a fifth-year option in their initial contracts and the salary for that fifth year is based on an average of the top salaries at their respective positions and whether or not the players were selected in the top 10 of the first round.

Bradley Roby has scored three defensive touchdowns in three seasons with the Broncos. AP Photo/Paul Sancya

For Roby, that means his 2018 base salary will be $8.526 million. The Broncos did not engage the fifth-year option on nose tackle Sylvester Williams a year ago and Williams became a free agent following the 2016 season. He signed with Tennessee.

There had been little doubt the Broncos were going to engage the option year for Roby, the 31st pick three years ago. Executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway had consistently said: “We’re going to pick it up; there’s no worry about that."

Roby, with Pro Bowl cornerbacks Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib in the Broncos’ lineup, has consistently worked as the Broncos’ No. 3 cornerback. But given that the Broncos have usually played in specialty packages on defense more than 60 percent of the time, Roby has consistently played those snaps and filled in as a starter when needed.

He’s started 10 games in his first three seasons and played in all 48 regular-season games. Roby has also appeared in four playoff games, including the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 victory to close the 2015 season.

He has scored three defensive touchdowns in his career, including two last season -- a 51-yard interception return against the Chargers to go with a 51-yard interception return in Jacksonville.

Roby has finished with at least 39 tackles in all three of his seasons, with a career-best 64 as a rookie in 2014.