Report: Broncos Waiving S Caden Sterns

The makeover at safety continues.

Aug 11, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Denver Broncos safety Caden Sterns (30) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The peaks and valleys of Caden Sterns' young but star-crossed NFL career just hit another of the latter.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Monday that the Denver Broncos plan on releasing the fourth-year safety. 9NEWS' Mike Klis confirmed Sterns will be cut if no trade partners are found.

Broncos will release safety Caden Sterns if they can’t work out a trade today, source confirms. (Release first by @TomPelissero). Sterns was on pace to be a starter as early as 2022 but back to back season-ending injuries (hip then knee) curtailed his progress. #9sports

— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 5, 2024

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A 2021 fifth-round pick, Sterns appeared in 21 of a possible 51 games for the Broncos. The Texas product was impressive when on the field, particularly in pass coverage, notching nine pass deflections and five interceptions across 588 defensive snaps. But herein lies the problem: he rarely was.

Sterns missed 12 games in 2022 with a nagging hip issue that bled into last season, subsequently suffering a season-ending torn patella tendon early in Denver's Week 1 loss to the Raiders. He opened training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list and had "a road ahead of him" in his return to full-time action, per head coach Sean Payton.

“Look he is not there yet, but it’s nice to see him back on the field," Payton said last week. "It took a while so we just have to be real measured and smart with his acclimation back, but it’s good to have him back out here.”

Sterns' departure is likely less of an indication the Broncos intend to bring back Pro Bowl S Justin Simmons, who remains a free agent, and moreso signals they're high on the other guys behind veteran starter Brandon Jones.

Those guys being: PJ Locke, JL Skinner, Delarrin Turner-Yell, and Devon Key.

"When a team changes year-to-year, there’s a percentage—more in the last 20 years than it used to be. It used to be you had two or three draft picks maybe beat out a veteran and that was it. It’s much different now," Payton said last month of the new leadership in the safety room. "I’m anxious to see how this team develops and [I am] really excited about it.”

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