Broncos Safety Battle: Two Darkhorse Options Emerging

The Denver Broncos have an intense battle shaping up for the last two safety spots on the 53-man roster.

August 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos safety JL Skinner (34) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The departure of Justin Simmons has significantly disrupted the Denver Broncos' safety position. The team is now battling with three part-time players for the two starting jobs, and the depth situation is filled with uncertainty.

While the three contenders for the starting roles show promise, those vying for the depth spots are yet to make a mark at the NFL level. In fact, only one of these options has played more than 20 snaps, and the other two have a combined total of 20 snaps in the regular season.

Delarrin Turner-Yell is the lone player with over 20 snaps, having played 213 snaps in two seasons, though all but one snap came in 2023. Turner-Yell had to take over as a starter for two games and played most of another due to an injury to Simmons.

Turner-Yell was targeted in coverage successfully and looked like he was in way over his head. As he enters he third season, he may show improvement. 

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JL Skinner, a sixth-round draft pick in 2023, missed most of the season with a torn pectoral. He's a big box safety, and he could have a clear and defined role in the Broncos' safety room.

Vance Joseph has often utilized a box safety as a defensive coordinator and head coach. Skinner was widely viewed as a top-150 pick before tearing his pectoral, so there could be a role for him, and the Broncos don’t have much competition for him on the roster. 

Tanner McCalister spent last season with the Cleveland Browns and played 19 snaps against the Houston Texans. He was targeted once, which wasn’t completed, but he registered one tackle and one assist. While he was a slot corner for the Browns, the Broncos have McCalister listed as a defensive back so that he could end up as a safety, a corner, or even a versatile role, utilizing him at both positions.  

The same can be true for Devon Key and Keidron Smith, who are listed as defensive backs. However, in Key's case, with three preseasons under his belt, his snaps have been working as a safety.

In the 2023 preseason for the Broncos, Key looked like one of the better safeties and seemed close to making the roster. It will be interesting to see whether he can build upon that and earn a roster spot this year. 

Omar Brown is an undrafted rookie out of Nebraska, who many draft analysts expected to get drafted. Over his collegiate career, Brown showed ball-hawking abilities with eight interceptions and 15 passes broken up. If he can be more consistent in getting after the ball, that would be a huge boost for the Broncos, as they need more takeaway potential on this defense. 

Bottom Line

There are four or five spots on the roster for safeties, depending on how the Broncos settle the split of corners to safeties. Brandon Jones, Caden Sterns, and P.J. Locke are the top three, and Skinner seems poised to be the fourth.

So, with likely only one spot left available, at most, any one of these other players could claim it, but they have to step up in training camp and preseason to earn it. 

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