Broncos Rookie CB Could Put Another Recent Draft Pick Out of a Job

Every NFL team has those players who are guaranteed to make the roster. They're the easiest ones to project onto a 53-man roster, and even a team that went 5-12 the year before, like the Denver Broncos, has them.

Of all the positions on the Broncos' roster, the outlook of the cornerback position was the easiest to place in the different tiers. There's a clear pecking order at the position, and of the six spots you typically have on the roster, four or five spots are pretty much taken. Let's see how the corners land with their tiers.

As I break down the Broncos' corners, players will be placed into three tiers based on their chances of making the roster. Here's a quick explanation of the three tiers that reflect the different percentage ranges that each player will fall into.

Let's examine each cornerback's roster outlook.

Tier 1: 70-100%

Patrick Surtain II | K'Waun Williams | Damarri Mathis | Riley Moss

This is pretty simple, as all four are 100% to make the roster. Moss was traded up for as a third-round pick, Mathis is practically locked in as a starter, Williams is a great slot, and the defense was worse without him in 2022, and Surtain is Surtain.

Mathis is the other starting boundary corner, and he came along as his rookie season went on. However, he still needs to show growth, especially to improve his consistency.

Moss has a good skill set to help provide depth on the boundary, in the slot, and even as a safety. Before he was drafted, there was a question about where he would play in the NFL. The Broncos quickly made it clear that he would get a chance as a corner.

Surtain, for as great as he is, does have some issues. Sometimes, especially against the run, he makes a business decision. He doesn't always play with that physical style that made him such an exceptional college corner.

Don't get me wrong; Surtain is an exceptional NFL corner, but being consistently physical in all phases would make his game even better and place him among the greatest of all-time conversation if his career trajectory stays on course.

Denver has a chance to have a great secondary, but it needs Williams to stay on the field. Injuries have been a consistent issue with his career, never having played a full season.

If Moss can develop working inside and outside, he would be a great piece to back up Williams because the other options are less than optimal.

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Tier 2: 40-69%

Tremon Smith | Essang Bassey | Ja'Quan McMillian

Smith almost landed in the first tier. He's currently projected as the returner, which he has done well. His play on defense isn't great, but the Broncos need to improve their return game.

What kept Smith from making the first tier is that plenty of other players on the roster are also competing for the returner job, and rookie wideout Marvin Mims Jr. is expected to be part of it.

Bassey and McMillian seem to be the two corners competing for the backup nickel corner spot. Smith could also be in that conversation, but his play on defense has been lackluster. Bassey is the current favorite for the position, but McMillian had a great season finale for 2022, and if he can build off of that, he is in play.

READ: Broncos Roster Prediction: Revealing Each OT's Odds of Making it

Tier 3: 0-39%

Delonte Hood | Faion Hicks | Art Green

There is potential among the group here, but they all need to show a lot of development to make a case for the roster this year. Hood got to see the field in the preseason for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played 146 snaps, 94 in coverage, and allowed 11-of-15 targets to be caught for a touchdown. He did break up one pass during that time.

Hicks was a 2022 late-round draft pick by the Broncos. He played a single snap in the regular season, with 108 in the preseason, allowing 8-of-9 targets to be caught, two for touchdowns. Late in the season, when injuries took their toll in the secondary, Hicks was passed over for McMillian, an undrafted rookie.

Green is an undrafted rookie with tools to work with, but he must develop his technique. While he could progress quickly to make the roster, he seems more poised to compete for the practice squad out of the gates.

The Takeaway

Four corner spots are cemented with Surtain, Williams, Moss, and Mathis. A fifth spot seems poised for Smith due to his versatility as a returner, but he does have competition for that.

So at most, there are two spots left on the roster that six players are competing for. Of course, there is also the possibility the Broncos' coaching staff goes with only five corners and keeps an extra safety for 10 total defensive backs.

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