3 players that could follow Vance Joseph to the Denver Broncos

3. Byron Murphy, cornerback

Another top free agent on the Arizona Cardinals this offseason is cornerback Byron Murphy, who was once the top pick of the second round in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Cardinals could end up overhauling their defensive personnel entirely under new head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. Not that they're going to purge the roster of every good player, but coming off of a season in which he played just nine games, Murphy probably isn't getting the franchise tag.

Coming to Denver to play for Vance Joseph and rehab his value on a short-term deal? That sounds like a pretty great situation for all involved. The Broncos would have to make the decision to move on from veteran Ronald Darby, who has had injury issues of his own throughout his NFL career, but they would save over $9 million from cutting Darby and could very well use those savings in 2023 to add a player like Murphy.

The former Washington star had four interceptions in 2021 when he was fully healthy and has played a significant role for Vance Joseph since he was drafted to the NFL. Unless his price is other-worldly this offseason (and you never know when it comes to NFL free agency), this is the kind of player you might consider signing to a two-year deal worth $28 million or so

The Broncos had Damarri Mathis break out in a big way as a rookie, so maybe they are going to go into the 2023 offseason more confident in his abilities. The team could also make more of a splash at safety than cornerback when you think about the injury recovery of Caden Sterns and the impending departure of Kareem Jackson.

Those positions will be addressed, but having good cornerbacks is a non-negotiable. The Broncos could keep Mathis on the outside, play Murphy in the slot, and have one of the best young cornerback trios in the league.