The Denver Broncos have a roster problem.
Thankfully in 2025, as opposed to previous ones, it's a good problem. As opposed to having issues with talent, depth, and core pieces, the Broncos actually have one of the more impressive collections of talent around the league. No roster is perfect, including the Broncos (obviously), but Denver has a fun and fascinating mix of young players and veteran talent with more depth than they've had any year post-Super Bowl 50.
When you have as strong of a roster as the Broncos do, you're liable to see some unexpected roster controversy and perhaps from the most unexpected areas of the team. This is pure speculation and tinfoil hat theorizing, but the Broncos might have some unexpected roster controversy brewing at the cornerback position, of all places.
Broncos cornerback position could have intriguing offseason battles
The Broncos did not expect cornerback prospect Jahdae Barron to be on the board when they picked 20th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Barron was graded high enough by the Broncos that they passed up opportunities to trade down in order to select him.
The arrival of Barron in itself has already given us a bit of controversy at the cornerback position, where we know reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II is going to be at the top of the depth chart. But what about the rest of that position group?
I'm not in the camp that thinks Riley Moss is in any true danger of losing his job, but the Broncos have undeniable talent at corner that should be getting on the field somehow.
Obviously, the first-round pick Barron is going to play. His versatility can help the Broncos get a variety of players out there, but what about Ja'Quan McMillian? It's easy to write him off after the selection of Barron but the Broncos won't discard such a talented young player who has contributed significantly to the defense in recent years.
McMillian has four interceptions, three forced fumbles, 11 tackles for loss, and three sacks over the last two seasons as the primary slot corner for Denver.
Beyond McMillian, the Broncos got a really good breakthrough late last season from 2024 5th-round pick Kris Abrams-Draine. Abrams-Draine has been written off more than almost any other young player on the roster and it's been assumed that he is likely just going to take a backseat to the other guys on the team, but is that really the case?
There is a clear pecking order on paper after the 2025 NFL Draft for the Broncos at cornerback:
- Pat Surtain II
- Riley Moss
- Jahdae Barron
But what happens if Abrams-Draine and/or McMillian progress even further this offseason? Would Moss be in legitimate danger? Could Barron be shifted to more of a chess piece type of role than expected?
This is one position that everyone just assumes is already set in stone but there might be more than meets the eye.