Jun 10, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos strong safety Omar Bolden (31) reacts during mini camp at the Broncos practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
If I’m being 100% honest, I have to say that Omar Bolden has been a bit of a disappointment, since being drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 draft. He was billed as a difference maker in the return game and a real talent on the coverage island.
His rookie year, he was inconsistent. But that’s to be expected, to a degree, for any rookie player. But the sample size was too small. He only saw 81 defensive snaps, earning an overall grade of -1.6 via PFF.
In 2013’s training camp, the Broncos decided to move Bolden to safety, due to the lack of depth at the position (as mentioned earlier). The result was not good. In 211 snaps, Bolden earned an overall grade of -5.6 from PFF. He didn’t seem like a natural fit at safey.
Now, the Broncos have moved him back to the island. The result has been a bit of a mixed bag. He’s earned some praise early on in training camp, but after watching Thursday night’s matchup with the Seahawks a few times, I wasn’t overly impressed with his performance.
Similar to Tony Carter, Bolden is facing pressure from the bottom of the depth chart. If guys like Louis Young and Jerome Murphy continue to stand out, it will make it hard for the coaching staff to justify a spot on the final 53 for Omar Bolden.