Since the 2204 NFL league year opened nearly one month ago, the Denver Broncos have been relatively quiet in free agency, targeting affordable free agents who can find a way to be significant contributors on a revamped roster.
Malcolm Roach, Cody Barton and Calvin Throckmorton are all examples of this, and looking at the team's current roster, there is still a pretty big need at the cornerback spot.
The Broncos have Pat Surtain II, easily among the best cornerbacks in the league and a potential star in Ja'Quan McMillian. But after that, the water gets murky. Second-year player Riley Moss is going to have to give much more than he did as a rookie and the team will need something out of Damarri Mathis as well. That is, if no additions are made to the roster.
The Broncos could certainly be looking to add another corner in the draft, but Steven Nelson, a veteran still sitting on the free-agent market, makes sense for the team. Pro Football Focus not only recognizes Nelson as one of the best remaining free agents but also lists the Broncos as his best potential landing spot.
Nelson would be one of those signings that wouldn't garner a ton of press, but it would be one that should be met with a huge round of applause. Nelson, a former third-round pick in 2015, has played in many different defensive schemes and has found success in each of them, including the past two seasons with the Houston Texans.
At 30 years old last year, Nelson still had one of his best seasons at a pro. He had 63 tackles and four interceptions while starting 16 games for the Texans and playing on 95.4 percent of the team's defensive snaps.
The Broncos got a lift from Fabian Moreau as a veteran addition last year and Nelson would be a big upgrade over him. This is a player the Broncos should be looking at closely.