The Denver Broncos and general manager George Paton don’t have time to rest. They need to add more cornerbacks with Davante Adams heading to Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Raiders saw what the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers were doing to improve their roster and said, “Hold my beer.”
The Raiders struck in a big way on the first day of the new league year by signing pass rusher Chandler Jones, thought by many to be one of the top three free agents in the entire crop of free agents.
The very next day, the Raiders treated their fans to a Davante Adams trade which cost them only a first- and second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Davante Adams has now joined the loaded AFC West and is $141.25 million richer for it. The fact that Adams is now in the AFC West means we need some more action from Denver Broncos general manager George Paton at the quarterback position.
Who do the Denver Broncos need to add at the cornerback position now that Davante Adams has joined the division? Let’s take a look at three of the top free agents still on the market.
Denver Broncos free agent CB no. 1: Stephon Gilmore
Of the available free agent cornerbacks, none is a bigger name than former Defensive MVP Stephon Gilmore.
Gilmore has undoubtedly been one of the best corners in the game over the last handful of years and even if he’s on the downside, he would be worth a one-year shot to come to Denver and play inside or outside.
Gilmore has proven inside-outside versatility and was outstanding for the Patriots out of the slot when asked to play there.
He could play in the slot, or you could slide Ronald Darby into the slot, or you could really just sign a guy like Gilmore and match up against these stud receivers week to week.
Not only would Gilmore be a wise addition from the standpoint of loading up the cornerback room to cover receivers, but the Broncos also have to find a way to cover Darren Waller and Travis Kelce in all of this.
Even on just a one-year deal, it would be exciting to see Gilmore join the Denver secondary.
Denver Broncos free agent CB No. 2: Donte Jackson
Stephon Gilmore is not the only player from the Carolina Panthers the Denver Broncos could try to poach. Former second-round pick Donte Jackson is also hitting free agency and so far, his market has been relatively quiet compared to what you might expect of a former high draft pick with 12 career interceptions and 4.3 speed.
Jackson is only 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, but he’s perhaps an ideal fit in the slot moving forward. He can play on the outside, but with Ronald Darby and Pat Surtain II, Jackson would have a natural role for the Denver Broncos out of the slot and his speed would be a great weapon there.
The Denver Broncos are obviously going to be facing a lot of different receivers, all types and shapes and sizes.
A player like Jackson would give you depth, a starting option on the outside or in the slot, and he would add some much-needed speed to the secondary. Not that the Broncos’ secondary unit is devoid of speed, but a player with 4.3 speed like Jackson would be a welcomed addition.
Throughout his career, Jackson has also shown an ability to attack the line of scrimmage with nine tackles for loss, including three this past season.
Denver Broncos free agent CB no. 3: Mike Hughes
One player I hope the Denver Broncos seriously consider is free agent cornerback Mike Hughes.
Hughes had a tough start to his NFL career early on with the Minnesota Vikings, but he is coming off of an outstanding first year with the Kansas City Chiefs where he was acquired in a trade.
The Vikings just got what draft pick they could in return for Hughes last year and he ended up playing a significant role on the Chiefs’ defense.
He had a career-high 47 total tackles for the Chiefs last year and added an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Hughes, dating back to his time at UCF, has the ability to play out of the slot or on the outside, and he could also contribute on special teams as a returner, which the Broncos need.
There’s an obvious connection here for the Denver Broncos and general manager George Paton, who was with the Vikings when they made Hughes the 30th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Could that connection come into play here?
Perhaps. Adding Hughes might not move the needle for everyone in Broncos Country like a player of Stephon Gilmore’s caliber would, but Hughes is only 25 and might be a more high-upside option over the longer term.
He could even be a supplementary addition if the Broncos sign multiple players at the position, which I think they should seriously consider.
Denver Broncos free agent CB option no. 4: Steven Nelson
Over the last handful of years, Steven Nelson is one of the more well-traveled cornerbacks in football.
Drafted in the third-round out of Oregon State by the Kansas City Chiefs, Nelson spent his rookie contract in Kansas City before heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After two seasons with the Steelers, he signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles and may be able to parlay that into a nice raise in 2022.
Nelson had 50 tackles, seven pass breakups, and an interception last year for the Eagles.
Nelson is not the biggest corner but he’s going to play tough for you and give you an option out of the slot.
The Denver Broncos obviously need to add some players at the cornerback position with toughness, moxie, and a little bit of attitude with the kind of competition they will be going up on a weekly basis.
Nelson could be a really good fit with his physical style of play and zone cover skills.
Denver Broncos free agent CB option no. 5: K’Waun Williams
The Denver Broncos could look to bring back one of their own, Bryce Callahan, to play the slot in Ejiro Evero’s defense.
Or…they could bring in K’Waun Williams.
The free agent cornerback market may not be overloaded with cornerbacks at the moment, but there are effective options, and adding someone like Callahan or Williams to come and play the slot could be a great option for the Broncos.
In recent years, Williams has played a versatile role for the 49ers. He racked up 10 tackles for loss over the last two seasons combined, five in each season. He also added four passes broken up and a pair of QB hits in the 49ers’ playoff run in 2021.
His four passes broken up in the playoffs last year matched his regular season total for the 2021 season.
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Would you like to see the Broncos go after someone with more ball production? Sure, but there aren’t many corners available in free agency that have proven they can play as effective out of the slot as Williams has since he came into the league in 2014.
He would be a very strong addition to the Denver Broncos defense.