Broncos Awarded DB Essang Bassey & P Corliss Waitman Off Waivers
Good things come to those who wait. This past winter, the Denver Broncos rolled the dice by waiving defensive back Essang Bassey, fully expecting him to clear waivers so that he could be re-signed to the practice squad.
Alas, seeing a debriefing opportunity, Brandon Staley's Los Angeles Chargers claimed Bassey off waivers. After pouring the better part of two years into developing the young DB, the Broncos had to watch Bassey head West into the belly of a rival beast.
Well, that was then, this is now. The Chargers waived Bassey recently and the Broncos put in a waiver claim.
On Monday, the NFL announced that two players have been awarded to the Broncos off waivers, including Bassey and punter Corliss Waitman.
Bassey, 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2020 but was signed as a college free agent by Denver. He quickly ingratiated himself to then-head coach Vic Fangio and became a starter as an undrafted rookie.
Then, disaster struck as the injury bug jumped up and bit Bassey by way of an ACL tear, ending his promising rookie campaign and throwing a wet blanket on a lot of NFL momentum. By that next summer, he wasn't quite ready to practice so the Broncos kept him on ice on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
Bassey appeared in two games for Denver in 2021 while going through the practice-squad rigmarole — back and forth — until the Chargers claimed him off waivers. He appeared in one game for the Bolts.
With Fangio gone, it is somewhat surprising to see GM George Paton put a claim in for Bassey but when you consider what he brings to the table as a versatile DB that can play the slot, dime-backer, and safety, it makes perfect sense. The wisdom of getting Bassey back in the fold is only compounded by Bryce Callahan's pending free agency — the Broncos' starting nickel corner for the past two years.
As for the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Waitman, it's curious to see the Broncos bring him in when Sam Martin, the team's veteran punter, is still under contract for 2022. At the very least, the second-year Waitman will get a look-see this spring with new special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes to see if he can provide a better value than the significantly more expensive Martin.
Denver can save $2.25 million on the salary cap with less than a half-million in dead cap by cutting the 32-year-old Martin before June 1. For what it's worth.
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