Riley Moss
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Denver broncos cornerback Riley Moss.
While the big payday for Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss won’t likely come until after next season, this 1 should do for now.
Moss was one of the NFL’s top earners in the league’s annual performance-based incentives program announced Monday — the bonus system the league uses to pay players with low salaries who play high snap counts.
Moss scored a $1.136 million bonus after starting all 17 games in 2025. It ranked Moss No. 12 among all NFL players who received bonuses, with Chicago Bears cornerback Nahson Wright coming in 1st with a $1.441 million bonus.
In 2024, Moss started 14 games, missing 3 games due to an injury. In each of his 2 seasons as a full-time starter, the Broncos have made the playoffs.
“Some exceptional players on that list — includingRiley Moss toward the top,” Broncos fan Ron Caphill wrote on X. “Hopefully,Broncos Country appreciates and understands this.”
The NFL’s incentives-based program has been around since 2002 and has distributed approximately $3.8 billion over the last 24 years.
“NFL players will receive more than $542 million in Performance-Based Pay for their performance during the 2025 season,” NFL public relations officer Brian McCarthy wrote on X. “The Performance-Based Pay program is a collectively bargained benefit that compensates all players based upon their playing time and salary levels.”
Bonus Almost Equal to Entire Salary in 2025
Moss just finished the 3rd season of the 4-year, $5.4 million rookie contract he signed after he was a 3rd round pick (No. 83 overall) in the 2023 NFL draft.
That contract paid him approximately $1.2 million in 2025 — meaning his bonus almost doubled his pay this year.
“Performed-Based bonuses know more ball than you if you think Riley Moss sucks,” 5280 Sports Group’s In The Nix of Time wrote on their official X account.
While it doesn’t seem like the Broncos are making paying a priority at this point this offseason, there’s a good chance he never hits the open market and could score a midseason payday like the one edge rusher Jonathon Cooper did in 2024 — a 4-year, $60 million extension right before the NFL trade deadline.
Option No. 2: Trade Riley Moss for Day 2 Draft Pick
If the Broncos don’t seem certain about Moss’ future in Denver — they did draft cornerback Jahdae Barron in the 1st round (No. 20 overall) of the 2025 NFL draft — then there’s also the chance he might be traded.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put Moss at the top of a list of trade targets for the San Francisco 49ers , Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers headed into the 2026 offseason.
Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti put Moss at the top of his list of trade candidates for the Broncos following their 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Any deal for Moss should bring back a Day 2 draft pick or multiple Day 3 draft picks.
“Moss started all 17 games in 2025, and has now put together back-to-back strong seasons, especially as it pertains to stopping the running game,” Ginnitti wrote. “However it stands to reason that 2025 1st-round pick Jahdae Barron will be ready to step into his role going forward, putting Moss — who is entering a contract year in 2026 — on the outside looking in.”