The Denver Broncos are one of the best teams in the league, and should be a Super Bowl contender once more in 2026 with Jaylen Waddle being the spark the offense needs.
But, on the defensive side of the ball, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report's projected starting defense in 2026 comes with a few question marks.
While the defensive line, linebacker, and safety rooms have some question marks about them, there is one standout thing about the trio of projected starting cornerbacks.
"CB: Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja'Quan McMillan," Davenport projects for the Broncos' starting secondary.
There's nothing wrong with that starting group, but the issue comes with who's missing. 20225 first-round pick Jahdae Barron isn't a starter, as that selection is starting to look like a bit of a waste for Denver.
Broncos' Jahdae Barron looking like a waste of a 1st round pick
While Barron has played in just one season of his NFL career, it's way, way too soon to write him off as a bust or a waste of a draft selection.
However, this projected starting defense does bring up a key issue, in that Barron likely won't see the field much in 2026, barring an injury or regression from one of the starting corners.
To have a first-round pick sitting on the bench would be a big waste of resources, especially since Barren hasn't actually even looked bad when he's played.
In 17 games and five starts, Barron had one interception, five passes defended, one fumble recovery, 35 tackles, and a passer rating allowed of 98.8. It's nothing great, but it's not terrible or alarming either.
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However, with Surtain, Moss, and McMillan in the projected starting CB room, there's no spot for Barron to get into the mix of things.
Considering the Broncos spent the No. 20 pick on him in the 2025 NFL Draft, it's looking like a bit of a waste, especially considering some of the players they could've had instead.
Jihaad Campbell and Carson Schwesinger would've been nice linebackers to have, as would running backs Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson. Nick Emmanwori or Malaki Starks would've been nice additions as well.
While Barron could still wind up as a solid defensive back for the Broncos during his rookie deal, for Barron to play just 30% of the defensive snaps last year, and likely headed for a similar number in year two, this is looking like a bit of a waste of a pick.
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