Broncos Can't Fall Prey to Common NFL Mistake With Second-Year CB Riley Moss

Riley Moss needs to get on the field for the Denver Broncos.

Nov 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (37) before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

In Sean Payton’s first draft with the Denver Broncos, he made a bold call to trade up for Iowa cornerback Riley Moss in the third round. Denver's cornerback position has been a work in progress, as the team's been trying to find someone to pair with Patrick Surtain II.

Even though Damarri Mathis looked solid to close out his rookie season in 2022, Payton and the Broncos saw something in Moss that led to their trade-up to get him. There was a lot of speculation about what position Moss would play in the NFL, with some viewing him as a safety and others as a corner.

However, most draft analysts agreed on Moss' versatility in the secondary. Despite his limited 25 snaps on defense as a 2023 rookie, his role was diverse, showcasing his ability to adapt. He excelled for the Broncos on special teams as a gunner, a role he's expected to continue in 2024. 

It's clear that Moss has the potential for a more significant role on the Broncos defense in the upcoming season. Reports from the Broncos OTAs highlighted his adaptability when working as a boundary corner. He's in contention for a starting job, a position many assumed would go to veteran Levi Wallace, whom the Broncos signed during the offseason. 

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Wallace signed a one-year deal with the Broncos, but that doesn’t guarantee him a starting job. If Moss can continue stepping up during training camp and preseason, he may end up as the starting corner opposite Surtain, which would be the best result for the Broncos.

Based on Wallace’s contract, he shouldn’t be guaranteed a roster spot if other corners step up. But odds are the Broncos will want to keep him, at least for veteran depth, even if Moss does take the starting job. 

Moss winning the starting job opposite of Surtain would be best for the Broncos because they'd start getting a return on their investment. While Moss was only a third-round pick and still on his rookie contract, the Broncos traded up for him, so they have a high investment in him.

Bottom Line

To move up and get Moss, the Broncos sent a fourth-round (108th) pick in 2023, along with a 2024 third-rounder to select him with the 83rd overall pick. That's an investment of two third-round picks the Broncos put into the kid, so they need to see if they can get a return out of him. 

Getting something out of Moss beyond special teams is the second reason why his winning the job would be best for the Broncos. Even with his investment, the team needs to find out what it has in him this year.

If Moss doesn’t work out, the Broncos need to plan to take another shot. They can’t have Moss on the sideline; otherwise, they'll be going into his third year without fully knowing what they have in him.

The Broncos can’t keep wasting cost-controlled years on rookies who don’t contribute. When a team does that too much, by the time they see what they have in a player, they often either have to pay the player or let him walk. 

That doesn’t mean the job should be handed to Moss. The Broncos need him to earn it.

Moss has made a strong early bid to earn the job, but it isn’t about how you start but how you finish. He has to continue in training camp and the preseason. 

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