The NFL is a copycat league, and after watching what the Philadelphia Eagles did to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos are trying to do their best to duplicate that kind of success.
The Eagles, under the direction of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, absolutely dominated the Chiefs in the Super Bowl with a pass rush that didn't even require a single blitz to get home against Patrick Mahomes consistently. Linebacker Zack Baun was a problem all throughout the game. But it was defensive back Cooper DeJean, a second-round pick out of Iowa, who really proved to be a dynamic game-changer all over the field for the Eagles.
DeJean caused issues all throughout the season for offenses the Eagles faced off against, but in the Super Bowl, his pick-six off of Patrick Mahomes was proof that his role in the Fangio defense is something that is a new weapon to throw at offenses, and other teams have already taken notice.
Broncos add a true defensive weapon in Jahdae Barron
While it's easy to peg a guy as a slot player, the positionless defense is becoming such a common thing in the NFL today. There are guys around the league like the Detroit Lions' Brian Branch, the Washington Commanders' Mike Sainristil, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tykee Smith. There are a number of guys elsewhere in the league, but DeJean's impact in the Super Bowl perhaps sparked something in the way the Broncos perceived a player like Jahdae Barron.
This is a game-changing type of player who isn't just going to pencil into one spot in the defense. At his introductory press conference, Barron talked about playing corner, slot, dime, safety, and 'STAR' on the Texas defense, meaning this is a guy who could be trusted to do a lot of things -- and do them well.
There are a number of players like this really starting to make a substantial impact around the NFL, and now the Broncos have one of their own.