Broncos' Elite CB Duo Deserved Better in New NFL Rankings

This past season, the Denver Broncos' secondary proved themselves as one of the best the NFL had to offer.

The finished as the league's seventh-best in terms of passing yards allowed (3,182), fourth in total passing touchdowns allowed (18), and ranked first in the NFL for net yards allowed per attempt (4.8). A truly dominant, lockdown display from what was a stout defense all around, but especially so in the secondary.

A lot of that success can be credited towards the Broncos' cornerback unit––led by All-Pro Second-Team selection Pat Surtain, and two solid contributors on the boundary and at the nickel, respectively, in Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian.

However, even with this unit's high level of production from last season, it didn't hold them back from facing some disrespect in Sports Illustrated's latest cornerback duo rankings heading into the 2026 season.

Broncos' CB Duo Sits Lower Than Expected in SI's Newest Rankings

SI's Gilberto Manzano recently sorted through the NFL's five best cornerback duos in the league rolling into next season, where the Broncos did manage to find their way into the top five––as they should be.

However, they were barely able to make the cut, falling in at No. 5, and were admittedly almost left off the list entirely because of what the New England Patriots' unit brought to the table.

"In my opinion, Surtain is the No. 1 cornerback in the league because he can contain No. 1 wideouts on a weekly basis, and it wasn’t that long ago that he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2024," Manzano wrote. "But the two-time first-team All-Pro isn’t alone in Denver, playing with Moss, a quality No. 2 outside corner, and McMillian, a productive slot corner. In 2025, the Broncos’ dominant defense allowed only 187.2 passing yards (seventh in the league) and only 18.3 points per game (third in the league)."

"Both of those statistics were better than the Patriots last season, with New England averaging 193.5 passing yards and 18.8 points per game. But maybe the Patriots’ cornerback duo should have gotten the nod for beating the Broncos in the AFC title game. Still, I couldn’t leave Surtain out of the top five."

At the very least, Surtain landed his due respect here. He's rightfully deemed the best cornerback talent in the league, and has shown the level of elite skillset and consistency for the past four years that warrants that consideration––including three All-Pro nods and four Pro Bowl selections.

Jan 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) reacts to his tackle during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But there's a case that not only Surtain's gravity in this defense, paired with what Moss, or McMillian offer (whoever you want to slot in as the Broncos' No. 2 corner), is worth a bit higher placement than where they ultimately fell.

There's little debate between those who landed within the top three: two All-Pros with the Philadelphia Eagles in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the Houston Texans' duo of Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter, and a Super Bowl-winning duo on the Seattle Seahawks in Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori (who was dubbed a nickel corner, in this case).

At fourth, though, the LA Rams' tandem of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson got the nod.

That's a good duo, no doubt, but hard to have a case over the best cornerback in the league in Surtain, paired with two solid options in Moss and McMillian to lean on behind him. They have the proven production and stats from last season to back it up, and are primed to do the same this coming year with another year of chemistry to bank on, paired with an elite front seven to pair with.

If anything, this can just be another piece of bulletin board material to fuel the Broncos' fire of proving the doubters wrong, and showcasing themselves as an elite defense as they did in 2025.

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