3 Broncos with the most to gain (& 2 with most to lose) in second half of 2023
By Jack Ramsey
Denver Broncos with the most to lose
1) Damarri Mathis, CB
Mathis entered 2023 as the third cornerback on the Broncos depth chart behind Pat Surtain II and K'Waun Williams, who was figured to be the starting nickel back. Mathis, however, had struggled mightily to start his 2023 but has regained his footing as of late. Mathis is currently rated as the 40th best corner in football, and second on the Broncos behind Surtain.
The corner was ranked dead last in football after the first week of the season, causing some concern about whether or not his rookie season, which produced stellar numbers, was a fluke or not.
The main issue for Mathis is whether or not he is part of the Broncos' defensive plans going forward. Mathis was a fourth-round selection out of Pitt in 2022, and steppes straight into a starting role following an injury to Ronald Darby early in the season. Mathis suffered through an infamous game in his first start in which he was flagged for pass interference multiple times, a leading factor in the team's loss to the Chargers that night.
As time progressed, Mathis became a dependable starter for the Broncos through the end of their 2022 season. As he finds his footing in 2023, one thing is clear: a rough end to the year could remove Mathis as a starter, but a strong finish can firmly place himself as a top-3 corner on the team.