The Denver Broncos have revitalized their approach to their cornerback room this upcoming season with fresh faces and a new defensive backs coach who believes in that position group needing to know how to play inside and out. Who emerges opposite of Patrick Surtain II as the starting cornerback on the outside?
Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtain is team’s biggest star
The time is now for Surtain to take the mantle and run with it. He’s the team’s biggest star and best player and is in line for a potential record-setting contract extension this upcoming season. When it comes to his play and position, there are no questions when it comes to Surtain and the overall value and impact he brings to the table. In 2023, he didn’t get to play as much press man-to-man coverage, but that may change here this upcoming season with Jim Leonhard’s arrival.
Leonhard comes in as the Broncos defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator after Christian Parker departed for the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason. There’s been a bit of a philosophy change when it comes to the secondary and that was on display during OTAs and minicamp. Surtain is the type of player who can move around the entire field, from playing outside on the boundary to the field or in the slot. He could very well be the Swiss army knife coverage weapon the Broncos plan to deploy this season, compared to last year, where Surtain primarily stayed on the outside.
“You need versatility, whether it’s flexibility between corners, safeties being able to play outside, inside,” Leonhard said during minicamp. “You can’t hide. You can’t hide guys anymore. You have to be able to communicate and think. If you can’t play inside the numbers, they just put their best receiver in there and work those matchups. So that’s a big emphasis as far as [defensive coordinator] Vance [Joseph] and his defense. I was a guy throughout my career that had to do a little bit of everything. [I] try to get that across to our players, and I’m excited for that challenge. I think we have a number of DBs that just have a really versatile skill set, and we’re going to take advantage of that.”
Surtain is the most versatile player on the roster, but who plays cornerback with him will be important to discover this upcoming season.
Who emerges for the Broncos at cornerback?
With versatility in mind, the Denver Broncos defense hopes to maximize their best personnel grouping this upcoming season. Surtain will never come off of the field for Denver, and with his rising stature, not many teams will look to target him primarily. When it comes to Denver’s base 3-4, who wins the starting job as the other outside cornerback?
That competition at the position for starters and depth is wide open and features a handful of players like Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Damarri Mathis, Levi Wallace, Kris Abrams-Draine, Tremon Smith, Art Green, Reese Taylor, and Quinton Newsome.
Moss is entering his second season in the NFL and is looking to make the most of his opportunities this training camp after he suffered a core muscle injury that sidelined him into the regular season. He emerged quickly on special teams and became one of the Broncos most impactful special teams players, but he wants to play more on defense, and he’ll have every chance to do just that. During OTAs and minicamp, Moss was a standout at cornerback, coming up with several batted passes throughout various practices. He’ll have stiff competition with other players who are just as hungry.
McMillian is the ultimate wildcard here despite the fact he emerged as one of the NFL’s most productive young players in the nickel. His spot in the nickel appears undeniable, but his performance during OTAs and minicamp playing on the outside could very well thrust him into a starting spot in Denver’s base package. When the team comes out in their nickel or dime package, he will likely slide right into the slot, but with positional versatility in mind, he can move anywhere and everywhere for Leonhard. It wouldn’t come as a shock if he gets the first reps and opportunities on the outside, opposite of Surtain to open up camp or the preseason.
Mathis is a young player who the Broncos still have a lot of belief invested in. He had a rough start to the 2023 season that ultimately led to him getting fewer looks at cornerback. Still, he continued to compete and battle and play a role on special teams, earning some reps at corner in various packages down the stretch last season. Mathis has starting experience, and many forget how impactful he was during his rookie season, stepping in as a starter and playing exceptionally well after Ronald Darby’s ACL injury. This season is a new slate and a chance for him to enter training camp with the ability to play inside and outside. If he can make plays at the rate he did as a rookie, we’ll see him rotate in or start for the Broncos this upcoming season. Broncos Country shouldn’t count him out.
Wallace is a veteran name who is looking to rebound after a down year in 2023 as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s fit in well early during minicamp and saw reps on the outside and in the slot, with Vance Joseph and Leonhard rotating players frequently. His overall experience is good for Denver to have at the position, especially if any injuries pop up.
Abrams-Draine, the Broncos’ rookie fifth-round draft pick out of Mizzou, is also in a position to see reps this upcoming season. He was drafted initially by Sean Payton and George Paton as a hybrid inside/out player who can play press-man, off-ball man, and zone coverage. His ball instincts stand out on tape, and he’s a technician at the position with good footwork, eye discipline, and fundamentals. Not only will he receive looks inside and outside during camp and preseason, but he’ll also be someone to watch for on special teams as a potential four-core player.
Green is a younger player who stood out during OTAs and made several plays on the football during the various practices that the media were allowed to attend. He was an undrafted rookie free agent who spent most of 2023 on the team’s practice squad. He’s got good size that really sees him projecting to be an outside corner. Last season, Green simply didn’t make enough plays in practice or games to get him a spot on the 53-man roster, but he has a great opportunity to do that here in camp, as he’s looked more comfortable this offseason. He’ll be a young, under-the-radar name to watch for Broncos Country.
Smith is a veteran and is arguably Denver’s best special teams player. He didn’t make hardly any plays during the preseason last year or in training camp, but he made plays as a core four specialist on a consistent basis, which makes his spot on the roster almost secure unless some of the younger corners on the roster can do the same thing on special teams this offseason. Smith won’t likely be much of a factor defensively for Denver, but his value on special teams is very high, which Payton, Ben Kotwica, and Mike Westhoff value.
Newsome is an undrafted rookie out of Nebraska and will be a young player for Broncos fans to watch for during practices and preseason games. The overall depth of the position will make it hard for him to get a lot of reps, but when he does get on the field, it will be imperative for him to maximize the reps he receives.
Denver Broncos personnel at cornerback
- Patrick Surtain II
- Ja’Quan McMillian
- Damarri Mathis
- Riley Moss
- Levi Wallace
- Art Green
- Reese Taylor
- Quinton Newsome
- Tremon Smith
- Kris Abrams-Draine