The best secondary in the NFL just got even better.
The Denver Broncos have reportedly signed veteran free agent safety Taylor Rapp, adding another playmaker to a defensive backfield that is absolutely loaded.
While it may have been flying under the radar, the signing of a player like Rapp is a pretty substantial upgrade to the Broncos' depth at the safety position. Given the loss of PJ Locke to the Dallas Cowboys in free agency, and the fact that nobody else in that group is proven, this signing addresses a depth issue the team was going to have to admit eventually.
Broncos sign veteran safety Taylor Rapp to add even more depth to elite secondary
Source: Former #Bills safety Taylor Rapp has signed with the #Broncos today. Some secondary help.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 20, 2026
Before the team's preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the Broncos had worked out Taylor Rapp to see if he could be a potential fit. Just about a week later, they've added him to the roster.
Whatever the Broncos had been seeing from the safety position during training camp was apparently confirmed in the preseason game vs. Atlanta, and the team decided they needed to add some more experienced depth to the back end.
Given the crucial role Locke has played for this team in recent years, it actually makes a ton of sense. Devon Key seemingly inherited the 3rd safety spot behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones, and even though Vance Joseph has expressed significant confidence in Key in the past, he's simply way too good on special teams (1st-team All-Pro) to not have playing a core four role in the event of any injuries.
The Broncos brought in veteran special teamer Tycen Anderson from the Bengals as their lone free agent pickup this offseason, but Anderson hasn't stood out as a viable option as a backup safety up to this point. They also used a 7th-round pick on Illinois safety Miles Scott, who definitely has potential, but also has a longer road of development ahead of him.
With Brandon Jones missing time last year due to a pectoral injury, as well as Talanoa Hufanga missing plenty of time due to injuries in his career, a player like Rapp -- with a ton of experience on really good teams -- is actually a shrewd move by the Broncos at this stage of the offseason.
Rapp was a 17-game starter for the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams back in 2021, and has been a full-time starter for the Buffalo Bills over the past two seasons (when healthy). He's also coming off an injury which he suffered last August, played through for nearly two months, then was shut down for the remainder of the season.
Now, he's obviously fully healthy and ready to contribute, which will give the Broncos some peace of mind.
Rapp has 488 career tackles, 12 career interceptions, and he's played three playoff games. He had an interception in his most recent playoff game, a tight win against the Baltimore Ravens back in the 2024-25 postseason.
This is a really great move by the Broncos, and 53-man roster predictions will need to be adjusted accordingly.
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