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”.
Denver Broncos free agent targets at cornerback in 2021
It would be remiss if we didn’t try to make some connections between George Paton and available free agents in the 2021 class.
Obviously when he was with the Minnesota Vikings, Paton played a part in the drafting of Xavier Rhodes as a first-round pick out of Florida State. For a while there, it looked like the Vikings had themselves one of the best young corners in the game with Rhodes shutting down his side of the field.
His play took a dip in 2019 before the Vikings let him go and he signed on with the Colts. This past year in Indianapolis, Rhodes was tremendous. He had a pair of interceptions and allowed a completion rate of just 51.9 percent into his coverage.
Rhodes is the oldest player on this list at 31 years of age, but he could be worth a two-year deal if he’s willing to come to Denver and play for Vic Fangio.
Another former Vikings draft choice (second round in 2016), the fit between the Denver Broncos and Mackensie Alexander might be one of the most obvious among the players listed here.
With the primary 2021 NFL Draft targets being outside corners, the Broncos and new GM George Paton could see an opportunity to upgrade the nickel cornerback position with Mackensie Alexander who had his best season in Minnesota three seasons ago.
With Alexander playing in the nickel, the Broncos could keep Bryce Callahan and Michael Ojemudia on the outside and have a pretty nice top three with those players alone. Adding more depth through the 2021 draft and free agency, this unit could morph into a strength of the team rather quickly.
Vic Fangio’s defense is complex and a veteran player like Alexander could step in and have an impact as that nickel player right away, and he won’t break the bank.
Denver Broncos free agent targets at cornerback in 2021
This year’s free agent crop has an abundance of potentially worthwhile risk/reward propositions. Not the least of which are a couple of former local prospects, starting with 49ers free agent Ahkello Witherspoon.
Witherspoon (and Chidboe Awuzie) played their college ball at Colorado. That obviously doesn’t tie them directly to the Denver Broncos, but there is no doubt the Broncos have a good idea bout these players.
Witherspoon only played four games this past season and has never played a full 16 game slate, so the Broncos would obviously not want to commit a ton of guaranteed cash here, but he does have four interceptions and has allowed less than 60 percent of passes in his direction to be completed over the last three seasons.
At 6-foot-2, Witherspoon has the size to match up with any “X” receiver but he also ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash with a 40.5-inch vertical jump, so he’s fast and explosive in addition to being long.
With 25 pass breakups from 2018-19, it looked like Chidobe Awuzie was on his way to a second contract in Dallas.
He was limited to just eight games in 2020 and he struggled some within those eight games.
The Cowboys also have a ton of other priorities across their roster so the 25-year old Awuzie might be hitting the open market and could be a slick multi-year investment for a team like the Denver Broncos.
At 6-feet, 202 pounds, Awuzie has a nice build for the outside corner position and he ran a 4.43 with a 6.81 in the three-cone drill, showing not only tremendous long speed but short-area quickness as well.
With the potential Awuzie showed prior to playing in just eight games in 2020, there is a chance he could be arguably the best potential “buy low” option on the 2021 free agent market.
Denver Broncos free agent targets at cornerback in 2021
Without question, Mike Hilton would be a coup for the Denver Broncos. Perhaps whatever ties he might have had to Mike Munchak in their time together with the Steelers could come into play here, but Hilton is one of the most physical, aggressive, and instinctive nickel defensive backs in the NFL.
Hilton has been tremendously productive with seven interceptions, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 9.5 sacks, 30 tackles for loss, and 23 quarterback hits in four seasons with the Steelers.
He’s only 5-foot-9 but he plays with a ton of heart and he plays fast. Quarterbacks had a rating just above 60 throwing into Hilton’s coverage this past season.
When you talk about some buy-low options, Desmond King is near the top of my personal list.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes All-American was an All-Pro with the Chargers just a couple of years ago, and then the Chargers dumped him to the Titans in a trade deadline move this past season.
I think King still has tremendous value as both a nickel cornerback option as well as a return specialist. The Denver Broncos have to bring in legitimate competition for Diontae Spencer in that phase of the game this offseason and King would be able to contribute more to the defense than Spencer does to the offense.
It would be a blast to see two Hawkeyes in King and Ojemudia together in the Broncos’ secondary.
Although he’s just 25, it feels like Jourdan Lewis has been with the Dallas Cowboys forever.
Another slot corner option who is scrappy and physical, Lewis has some nice ball skills and has proven that both from his college and NFL days.
Over the past two seasons, he’s also got six sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
At his age and productivity level, Lewis would be a very interesting option for the Denver Broncos if they are looking to upgrade the slot cornerback position prior to the 2021 NFL Draft.
Denver Broncos free agent targets at cornerback in 2021
There are always some fascinating risk/reward options in free agency and you never know when you’re going to strike gold on former (recent) high draft choices.
The Denver Broncos made a move in 2013 to sign Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Arizona Cardinals for next to nothing, and DRC wound up parlaying that opportunity into a big contract the next offseason, nearly from the Denver Broncos.
Gareon Conley could be considered a prime option to do the same in 2021.
Conley is undoubtedly an injury risk after missing the whole 2020 campaign, but. the former Raiders first-round draft choice has the type of size and athleticism the Broncos need to match up well with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Playing in Vic Fangio’s defense, who knows if Conley might finally figure things out? The health issue is obviously the primary concern here, but perhaps Conley could be had for a bargain price because of it.
Another player who must be considered on the injury risk list is Jaguars free agent Sidney Jones.
Jones was a top prospect coming out of Washington and a first-round caliber player on tape whose fall in the 2017 NFL Draft was all about his availability in the NFL.
Unfortunately, those concerns have proven to be warranted. He has played just 31 games in four seasons.
However…in his last 21 games, Jones has 17 pass breakups and four interceptions. He also allowed just 51.6 percent of passes in his direction to be completed in his final year with the Eagles (2019) before giving up just 57.9 percent in 2020 with the Jaguars.
Jones will be just 25 for the 2021 season and could be far better in the back half of his 20s than he was in the first half. He has a chance to be a steal in free agency but expectations should be tempered because of his injury history.
Denver Broncos free agent targets at cornerback in 2021
Shaquil Griffin is one of the bigger names on the 2021 free agent cornerback market, and with his combination of speed and all-around athleticism, he could be a very intriguing option for the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos have to deal with so much speed at the receiver position in their division, having a defensive back like Griffin (or five of them) is probably going to be essential.
He had 12 pass breakups and three interceptions (a career-high) this past season for Seattle in just 12 games.
In four seasons, he has 48 pass breakups and six interceptions total. The Broncos need to prioritize creating turnovers in the 2021 offseason and Griffin is a player who gets his hands on the ball.
Very quietly over the last three seasons, Michael Davis has developed with the Los Angeles Chargers into one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the league.
He’s not a shutdown player by any means, but Davis consistently makes plays for the Chargers’ defense and is known for his ability to excel in zone coverage.
That fact could, of course, lead to new head coach Brandon Staley requesting the front office prioritize this player, as he runs a derivative of the Vic Fangio defense.
At 6-foot-2, Davis has nice length at the position but he’s also developed into a strong tackler with excellent all-around ball skills. Over the last two seasons, he has 23 pass breakups and five interceptions.
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If the Broncos want to look for an under-the-radar starter type on the outside in free agency, Davis could be an attractive option.