Broncos Relying on Two Young CBs in Critical Chargers Matchup

The Denver Broncos need them to answer the bell.

Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) is unable to pull in a pass against Denver Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (31) in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos are making waves this season, defying the initial predictions that labeled them with the worst roster in the NFL. Denver has successfully rallied around its young quarterback Bo Nix, transforming a team expected to be in the top-five-draft sweepstakes into a playoff contender.

The most significant factor in the Broncos' success has been their defense, but with recent injuries to starting cornerback Riley Moss, who has missed more time than initially expected, and now Patrick Surtain II, the unit will need to lean on players like Damarri Mathis and Kris Abrams-Draine. 

With a critical AFC West matchup vs. the Los Angeles Chargers next up, are these young corners up to the task?

Mathis' time with the Broncos has been quite a roller coaster. His first start was one to forget, as he was penalized four times for 87 yards. However, as the season progressed, he began to find his footing in his role.

Heading into the 2023 season, Mathis was expected to secure the No. 2 cornerback position. Unfortunately, he experienced significant regression in coverage and ultimately lost his starting job. To make matters worse, he began the 2024 season on injured reserve.

Now that Mathis is back and Levi Wallace has been benched, the Broncos don't have much choice but to trust him with some snaps. Head coach Sean Payton liked what he saw from Mathis in Week 15's victory, playing on the boundary in Denver's base backage.

"We felt somewhat positive about this young corner out of Pitt a few years ago, and it was good to see him get back in and compete because he did a good job," Payton said of Mathis on Monday.

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Abrams-Draine filled in quite nicely after relieving Wallace late in Week 13. From his very first snap, Abrams-Draine was a huge improvement over Wallace.

The rookie fifth-rounder looked like he belonged out there, unlike Wallace, who appeared disinterested. This was put on full display when Wallace stopped chasing Jerry Jeudy during a Week 13 touchdown, only to realize the Cleveland wideout was still on the one-yard line prepping for his celebration for a fall into the end zone. 

Payton would call on Abrams-Draine to replace Wallace last week in nickel and sub-packages. It might be due to his approach to the game, as Payton is obviously a fan of his play over the last two weeks.

"The last two weeks, he's shown some moxy, stayed with his guy, didn't panic when the ball was in the air," Payton said of Abrams-Draine. "There's something about him." 

The Takeaway

With the Broncos trying to address gaps in their secondary, players like Mathis and Abrams-Draine are expected to step up and make an impact. Coach Payton explained how he utilized the duo last Sunday.

"I think going in we wanted to focus with Damarri in base down and distances because we were able to kind of identify or have a better clue of who was playing what receiver, and then the sub-packages, Kris got more of the work, and those guys handled that well," Payton said.

Denver will secure a playoff spot if Mathis and Abrams-Draine can hold the fort while Moss is out. However, if they struggle against Chargers wideout Ladd McConkey, don't count on Justin Herbert gifting the Broncos one turnover after another like Jameis Winston.

The Broncos and Chargers kick off on Thursday Night Football.

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