Report: Broncos 'Meeting With' Former Jets, Seahawks DB Blessuan Austin
The Seattle-to-Denver pipeline could deliver the Broncos a(nother) veteran talent.
Pro Football Network's Aaron Wilson reported Sunday that the Broncos are "meeting with" ex-Jets and Seahawks defensive back Blessuan Austin.
A 2019 sixth-round pick, Austin has 29 games of NFL experience, including 17 starts. The Rutgers product recorded 69 solo tackles, eight pass breakups, and two forced fumbles during his first two seasons in New York, where he mainly operated at right cornerback.
Waived last September, Austin (6-1, 198) quickly resurfaced with Seattle, for whom he made 10 appearances during the 2021 campaign, notching 10 total tackles across 201 snaps (149 on defense, 52 on special teams). When asked to cover, the 25-year-old allowed 11.8 yards per reception and an opposing passer rating of 101.6, per Pro Football Focus.
While admittedly seeking secondary depth, the Broncos are expected to address both positions — cornerback and safety — in the 2022 NFL draft, perhaps with their top selection, No. 64 overall. However, general manager George Paton wants as much flexibility as possible heading into the annual offseason spectacle, and bolstering the defensive back end only increases Paton's proverbial reach.
"I do think there are corners in the first two days that can certainly help us," Paton conceded Friday.
If signed, Austin would reunite with former Seahawks teammates Russell Wilson and J.R. Reed, and join a CB room led by Patrick Surtain II, Ronald Darby, and K'Waun Williams, likely pushing Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey further down the depth chart.
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