3) Damarri Mathis
Damarri Mathis: CB2. The Broncos are entering the 2023 season with a ton of pressure on second-year man Damarri Mathis from Pitt. Mathis played well in 2022, and has earned the right to start for the Broncos in 2023. However, with the injury to corner K'Waun Williams, Mathis enters the regular season with a larger spotlight on him than initially anticipated. Mathis had one horrific game to his name in 2022, which was also his first NFL start. Beyond that game, Mathis played at a strong level and more than earned the right to be a starter in 2023.
However, as the Broncos have mounting injuries at corner so far in 2023, and Mathis needs to play strong most every week. Another key for Mathis in 2023 will be quieting critics as quickly as possible. As the 2022 Broncos showed at times, when the noise gets loud around the team, the noise can drown out the team play.
The Broncos' secondary will be part of the concerns heading into 2023, especially due to the injuries, and there will be a newfound pressure on Damarri Mathis to improve his play from last year. If he struggles or regresses, where the Broncos turn is unclear with the aforementioned injuries. A struggling Mathis could lead to some substantial issues at Mile High.