Broncos Sign CB Darius Phillips, Waive CB Essang Bassey

The second-biggest move of the day.

Seeking experienced secondary depth, the Denver Broncos signed veteran cornerback Darius Phillips to the 53-man roster, the team announced Thursday.

CB Essang Bassey was waived in a corresponding transaction.

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Phillips, 27, entered the NFL with the Bengals as a 2018 fifth-round draft pick. He made 47 appearances (10 starts) for Cincinnati, compiling 59 solo tackles, 33 pass deflections, and five interceptions. The Raiders signed Phillips to a free-agent deal in March but released him Tuesday as part of final cuts.

A two-way contributor, Phillips (5-10, 190) particularly excels on special teams, having returned 30 punts for 209 yards and 20 kicks for 542 yards during his four professional seasons. Moreover, the Detroit native twice earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Year honors at Western Michigan.

"Ball-hawking cornerback with athletic ability and short area quickness to handle man coverage from slot and the instincts to play zone effectively," reads his NFL.com scouting profile. "Phillips will have to move inside due to his lack of size so his issues in run support could be exploited by offensive coordinators."

Able to play the boundary or slot, Phillips will join rookie Damarri Mathis as a primary reserve CB behind Broncos starters Patrick Surtain II, Ronald Darby, and K'Waun Williams.

Phillips' addition punctuates a busy day for the Broncos, who also signed offensive tackle Will Sherman to the practice squad and inked quarterback Russell Wilson to a five-year, $245 million contract extension.

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