3 free agents the Denver Broncos might regret not signing this offseason

2. Broncos might regret passing on CJ Gardner-Johnson in 2023

A Sean Payton draft pick back in 2019, CJ Gardner-Johnson is one of the better defensive backs in the NFL who can really line up anywhere in the secondary. He began his career with the New Orleans Saints and was shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. He signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions this year.

Gardner-Johnson tied for the league lead in interceptions this year with six. He also added eight passes defended and 67 total tackles. He's not yet 26 years old and has experience playing with Sean Payton. What I also would have loved about this potential signing is that he'd bring some much-needed youth into Denver's secondary.

Kareem Jackson is 35 years old. Justin Simmons turns 30 years old this year. Two mainstays of the Denver secondary are getting old, and adding someone like Gardner-Johnson would have added some youth and a diverse skill set. Caden Sterns is someone who can play multiple positions in the secondary and is probably going to start this year, but CJ Gardner-Johnson signed for just $6.5 million, which is something Denver should have done to fortify their secondary.