Sean Payton Offers Update on Riley Moss After Injury Scare vs. Packers

Early in the Denver Broncos' 33-13 preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers, cornerback Riley Moss was in fine form.

Moss broke up Jordan Love's first pass attempt of the night, nearly picking it off and showcasing that sticky, feisty coverage that Broncos fans have come to expect from the fourth-year cornerback. A few plays later, Love completed a pass to Christian Watson with Patrick Surtain II in coverage, and as the Packers' receiver was going to the ground, the perennial Pro Bowler stripped the ball out.

Moss promptly scooped it up and was tackled by a gang of Packers, falling on the ball with a mountain of weight on top of him. He jumped up holding his ribs and wincing in pain, immediately exiting the field and entering the blue tent on the sideline. The receiver was ruled down, incidentally. No fumble.

Soon after, Moss was escorted by trainers to the locker room and did not return to the field. After the game, Broncos head coach Sean Payton was asked about Moss's injury.

“Good," Payton said. "We’ll see.”

'Good' Means Good

Payton refuses to talk about player injuries and outside of the league's mandate to list player injuries on the practice report each week of the regular season, that's typically the most information Broncos fans ever get on a given player, outside of independent reporting. Unfortunately, there is no such NFL mandate for listing injuries during the preseason, so we're unlikely to get any additional insight from Payton or the Broncos on Moss.

Payton did say "good," though. We'll see how much Moss practices next week, but next Friday's preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings will tell us more. If Moss plays, we'll know that he's indeed "good."

The Broncos' starters only played a couple of series on Friday night against the Packers. Payton plans to play the first-teamers again next week in the finale, though we don't know how much.

Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) breaks up a pass for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Moss has put together one heck of a training camp and preseason performance. Entering a contract year, the former third-round draft pick has signaled to the Broncos his motivation to get paid, although he has continued to defer when asked about his expiring contract.

"It’s about taking things day by day, being where your feet are, competing, and improving at one thing every day," Moss said on August 6. "The rest will take care of itself. I trust that God has a plan for me. Whether I have a bad practice or a bad game, there’s always something to learn from it. I trust Him, and that’s how I approach it."

Moss was one of the biggest winners of training camp, and he made plays in both preseason games thus far. Against the Atlanta Falcons last week, he had an interception, and despite only playing a few snaps against the Packers, he had a pass break-up and nearly a fumble recovery.

When it comes to an extension, what the Broncos are waiting on is unclear. Moss is continuing to show development, and proved late last season that he could provide reliable, sticky coverage without so often drawing a penalty for pass interference or defensive holding.

From the Broncos' Week 12 bye on, Moss was able to curtail the penalty problem, which had become a liability for the defense. When Surtain missed three games down the stretch with an injury, Moss rotated over to the No. 1 cornerback spot, and the Broncos' defense carried on apace, not skipping a beat. Denver won all three games.

The Broncos do have several other worthy players also entering a contract year, and that could be complicating matters with Moss. But of all the players on an expiring contract, he has stood out the most this summer, so it may be just a matter of time before the Broncos reward him.

The Broncos still have $37.3 million in salary-cap space, per Over The Cap, and while the team is bearing down for Bo Nix's contract extension next offseason, the bulk of the salary-cap impact won't be felt until 2029, at the soonest. That offers the Broncos the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot, and continue to invest into retaining as much of their core as possible.

Moss was drafted and developed by the Broncos. As a member of Payton's maiden draft class as Broncos head coach, Moss is very much a key part of the team's young core.

The Takeaway

It doesn't sound like Moss's injury is serious. Rib injuries, if that's what it is, can be tricky and they can linger, but Payton doesn't sound too worried.

In the meantime, we'll continue to await news of the Broncos getting some extensions done. Over the past few years, GM George Paton has used the window between the start of training camp and the regular-season opener to sign key players to extensions — like wideout Courtland Sutton, defensive end Zach Allen, and rush linebacker Nik Bonitto last year — but he hasn't done so this summer.

Time will tell whether the Broncos view Moss as one of those key players deserving of a multi-year extension.

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google