The Denver Broncos have been extremely active on day two of the 2023 NFL Draft, moving up into the last pick of round two (63rd overall) to select Oklahoma wide receiver Marvin Mims. They followed that pick just a few selections later (67th overall) by taking Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders.
Then, at pick no. 83 overall, they shocked everyone by striking up yet another trade with the Seattle Seahawks, moving into the 83rd slot and giving up picks 108 this year and a 2024 third-round pick.
Denver Broncos trade details with Seahawks
Broncos receive:
- 83rd overall
Seahawks receive:
- 108th overall
- 2024 3rd-round pick
Keep in mind, the Broncos owned multiple third-round selections in 2024 after the trade with the New Orleans Saints involving Sean Payton. It's not known at the time of this writing which selection is going to the Seahawks, but probably the Broncos' own selection.
At any rate, the Broncos paid a decent price to move up and select Riley Moss in the middle/back half of round three, and Moss will likely be expected to come in and play a significant role right away because of it. He will undoubtedly be ready. Moss was outstanding playing in Phil Parker's defense at Iowa and played outside cornerback. A number of people are trying to project him to safety, but there's no reason to do that unless the Broncos envision him as a starter immediately in that regard. It would be a projection.
Riley Moss was drafted with pick 83 of round 3 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.68 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 72 out of 2222 CB from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/arN5Uy1mqS pic.twitter.com/mWBDLHMJk7
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023
In five seasons at Iowa, this young man played over 2,600 snaps. He earned playing time as a true freshman when he was not even on scholarship yet. He went on to become one of the most productive defensive backs in the country at Iowa and finished his collegiate career with 11 interceptions, 26 passes defended, 158 total tackles, and a pair of forced fumbles (both in 2022).
Moss also brings an elite athletic profile and ability to impact special teams immediately. As was the case with the Drew Sanders pick, I think adding Moss is as much about adding special teams help right away as it is about adding a guy who could ultimately end up contributing significantly in the secondary.
As of right now, the Broncos' top cornerbacks are Pat Surtain II and Damarri Mathis, a fourth-round pick in 2022. Mathis is penciled in as a starter but don't be surprised if we see Moss playing some as well. I think we could see Moss some in the nickel but for the time being, that spot is occupied by veteran K'Waun Williams, entering his second year with the Broncos.
Overall, I really like this pick for the Broncos and I think Moss is going to have a tremendous impact on the team immediately. The Broncos desperately needed help at corner, and they need bodies on special teams. This is an upgrade in both departments. Not everyone is going to like the price the Broncos paid but clearly, with Sean Payton in the HC chair, the team is not operating with a scarcity mindset and they're not treating draft picks like their last dollar.
They are being aggressive and taking risks.