New Denver Broncos general manager George Paton said at his introductory press conference that he wants to build this “sleeping giant” of a team through drafting, developing, and getting young players to second contracts.
With that being said, free agency will play a key role in determining the team’s course of action in the 2021 NFL Draft, another class that appears loaded with talent at key positions the Denver Broncos will look to address.
One of the deepest position groups in free agency, before teams even make any roster cuts, is the cornerback position. It just so happens that is also the Denver Broncos’ biggest and most pressing need heading into the 2021 offseason, especially with AJ Bouye not expected back with the team in 2021.
As crazy as it sounds, the list of available free agents that will be interesting to the Denver Broncos’ context right now far exceeds the dozen players I’ve included in this list. With no precedence for his personal preference in terms of free agent pursuits besides what Rick Spielman ultimately was responsible for in Minnesota, it’s hard to know how much George Paton will emphasize certain things.
Given where the Denver Broncos are at right now, it doesn’t seem likely for them to try and go after older free agents, though they can’t be taken off the table completely. It also doesn’t seem overly likely that they will spend a ton of money here, but if there is one position group they could throw money at, it might be this one.
Denver Broncos free agent cornerbacks to target in 2021
The Cincinnati Bengals have multiple free agent cornerbacks set to hit the market, including former first-round pick William Jackson.
Jackson has struggled some with injuries so far in his NFL career but when he’s healthy, he’s proven he can be a top-flight player at the cornerback position. In 59 games, Jackson has just three interceptions but he gets his hands on the ball plenty with 41 pass breakups.
He allowed a completion rate of just 51.4 percent into his coverage this past season.
At the age of 28, Jackson is on the cusp of being the type of free agent you throw a lot of money at. Ideally, if you were going to give out a massive free agent deal, it would be to a guy who is no older than 26, maybe 27.
If Jackson is considered the best free agent cornerback in this year’s deep class, he could be too rich for the Broncos’ blood, but he would certainly be a big “get”.