Denver Broncos: Players on the chopping block at each position

Cornerback: Duke Dawson

Duke Dawson was the 58th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was hurt most of his rookie season, so when the Denver Broncos acquired him in a late-round pick swap from the New England Patriots in a roster deadline trade, it seemed like a really good deal.

It was still a really good process from the front office to acquire Dawson at such a low cost, but staying on the field has proven to be difficult for him.

He played 14 games in 2019 and then just 12 in 2020, and at this point, Dawson has not quite been able to carve out a clear role for himself in the defense.

Does he have a future as the team’s nickel? Could he be an eventual Kareem Jackson replacement?

It’s tough to say for the time being.

The Denver Broncos poured so many assets into the cornerback room in 2021 that it’s hard to find spots for everyone. Dawson is going to have to be fully healthy and play lights out to force the team to keep more corners than they probably otherwise would.

He could beat out someone like Essang Bassey for a roster spot, but at this point it looks like there are at least five cornerback spots solidified in Denver and who knows if they will end up keeping more than six?