The future for Broncos 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron remains bright — but it also remains in flux, as the team works to determine whether his future is at slot cornerback or on the outside.
“He has position flex, inside-out,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said during OTAs.
So, at both the slot and boundary, the Broncos have a returning player in a contract year: Ja’Quan McMillian in the slot, Riley Moss on the outside. Moss overcame a spate of early penalties last year to cut down his infractions after the bye, continuing his growth as an effective No. 2 corner; McMillian is a unique play-making threat from the slot, putting up a stat line in the last two years no NFL cornerback can match.
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Last month during OTAs and minicamp, much of Barron’s work was on the outside. He still remains out of the starting lineup — understandably so, given the experience in front of him. Thus, the selection of Barron last year remains something of a luxury item; while he and Kris Abrams-Draine represent perhaps the NFL’s best combination of Nos. 4 and 5 cornerbacks, Barron appears likely to crack the first team to start the season only if the Broncos absorb an injury to Moss, McMillian or Pat Surtain II.
So, for now, Barron is likely to be an example of how the Broncos are blessed with depth at a position where the cliché “you can never have too many” is standard for any discussion.
The team had its depth tested last year when Surtain was lost for nearly four games, and with Abrams-Draine and Barron splitting the workload between them, allowing Moss and McMillian to maintain their usual roles, the defense didn’t have a hiccup, holding those four foes — Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas and Kansas City — to an average of 196.3 passing yards per game, or an average of 20.2 yards per game below the season-long pace for each.
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And as for Barron individually, opposing quarterbacks posted a collective 51.1 rating when throwing in his direction during those games — much better than the 98.8 rating over the entire season.
When more was asked of Barron, he delivered. That’s a promising sign. And it’s one that could lead to the Broncos finding ways to get him on the field.
“There will be packages I’m sure where in throwing situations, Vance [Joseph] and those guys will look at what we’re wanting to do with our people,” Payton said last month, “but he’s out here competing and doing good.”
BARRON’S GROWTH IN SECOND BRONCOS OFFSEASON EVIDENT
That wasn’t just the case on the field, but away from it, as well.
“He’s been studying in the film room. You can tell he’s progressively getting better,” Surtain said last month.
“His I.Q. and his fundamentals of the game, it seems like he’s wise beyond his years going into his second year, so, I’m excited for him.”
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Now, it’s a matter of making the cerebral growth translate to the field.
“I think he’s an instinctual player, so I think for him it’s just getting the reps and the practice work,” Payton said.
And when a larger opportunity arrives for Barron, one can’t say that he won’t be ready. It’s the opposite of being a young player thrown into the fire. Barron appears ready for more, but the Broncos’ quality doesn’t afford him an opportunity — at least, not yet.
But with McMillian and Moss both in contract years, he could find himself by next year in a similar situation as the Broncos’ first-contract defensive linemen are now: as the beneficiary of a good problem to have, with more talent than the salary cap can accommodate for big deals.