Taylor Rapp Signing Sends Clear Message About Broncos' Safety Depth

The Denver Broncos have signed veteran safety Taylor Rapp, reported first by CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.

The move comes more than a week after the Broncos hosted Rapp for a workout ahead of their preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Perhaps the Broncos wanted to see how their safety depth looked in that game before deciding on Rapp, but the implications of his signing are obvious.

The Broncos aren't thrilled with their safety depth. We'll talk more about that shortly. First, let's introduce the Broncos' newest safety.

Rapp's Background

Los Angeles Rams free safety Taylor Rapp (24) celebrates the win at the conclusion of Super Bowl 56 against the Cincinnati Bengals. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Rapp played his college ball at the University of Washington, where he was named the PAC-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2016. He built a decorated college career and entered the 2019 NFL draft, where the Los Angeles Rams selected him in the second round (No. 61 overall), making him the highest-drafted player of Asian descent in league history.

Rapp started 10 games as a rookie in 2019, finishing with a whopping 100 tackles (62 solo), three tackles for a loss, two interceptions, including a pick-six, and eight pass break-ups. It was an impressive showing.

The injury bug bit Rapp in Year 2, when he suffered a knee injury that cost him seven games. He still totaled 44 tackles and an interception, though.

In Rapp's third year, the Rams went all the way to the Super Bowl. He started in the big game, helping the Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20, earning himself a Super Bowl ring.

After Rapp's fourth year in L.A. — where he totaled north of 90 tackles for the third time in his young career — he left for a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. The next season, Buffalo signed him to a three–year, $10.62 million extension. That's where he's spent the past three seasons, starting 24 games for the Bills over that span.

Last season, though, Rapp dealt with a knee injury that limited him to just six starts. After the season, the Bills shook things up across the board, firing head coach Sean McDermott and making many sweeping changes. Rapp was released in March.

At 28 years old, Rapp is still in his prime years, but the question is whether he's healthy. The Broncos certainly evaluated him medically, and he must have passed his physical, because he's on the team now.

Safety Depth Implications

The Broncos' starting safety duo is set in stone, and it's one of the best in the NFL. Talanoa Hufanga returns as a second-team All-Pro selection from last season, with Brandon Jones alongside him.

The Broncos' plan, after letting P.J. Locke depart in free agency, was for Devon Key to compete for the No. 3 safety spot, a role that sees a lot of time on defense, and is the first guy on the field if Hufanga or Jones are hurt or even need a breather.

Beyond Key, the Broncos have JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson (a recent free-agent addition), seventh-round rookie Miles Scott, and undrafted rookie Parker Robertson. None of the players in this group have stood out in camp, and in the one preseason game so far, the Broncos' safety depth looked lackluster.

Rapp entering the fray is interesting because he's not a guy who typically plays much special teams. On the surface, that's okay, because Key is a first-team All-Pro special teams ace, while Skinner and Anderson are also reliable in the third phase.

Rapp has played special teams, obviously, but as a starter for most of his NFL career, the Rams and Bills mostly preserved him for his defensive responsibilities. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos view Rapp.

We may not get an answer on Friday night in the Broncos' second preseason game vs. the Green Bay Packers, but we should see him in the finale next week. In the meantime, Skinner, Anderson, Scott, and Robertson have been put on notice.

The Takeaway

The Broncos could always choose to keep five safeties, but they're signing of Rapp signals a dissatisfaction with their safety depth. Rapp wasn't very good in his few games last season for the Bills before he got hurt, but he has played some great football in the NFL.

In this scheme surrounded by some of the best defensive personnel in the NFL, perhaps Rapp could return to form. Time will tell, but at least the Broncos added some veteran experience to their safety room with a couple of weeks left of the preseason.

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