Broncos DC Vance Joseph: CB Riley Moss 'Played Well' in First Career Start

The Denver Broncos were pleased by Riley Moss' performance in Week 1.

Sep 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (49) celebrates with cornerback Riley Moss (21), safety P.J. Locke (6) and cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) after intercepting a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos have pinned a lot of their defensive hopes on second-year cornerback Riley Moss. Drafted in Round 3 last year out of Iowa, Moss redshirted most of his rookie campaign due to an offseason injury.

Fast forward to 2024, and Moss has locked down the starting boundary cornerback job opposite Patrick Surtain II. However, with how many NFL quarterbacks tend to shy away from Surtain, Moss will be a common target in opposing game plans moving forward.

In the Broncos' season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, fans got to see Moss on defense for the first time, really. In his first career start, he more than held his own against Seahawks veteran Tyler Lockett, but on the last big play of the game, Moss did relinquish a third-down completion to his assignment that allowed Seattle to ice the game.

Still, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was pleased with Moss' first game of 2024.

“I thought Riley played well in his first NFL start versus a high-end NFL receiver with a high-end quarterback," Joseph said on Thursday. "Obviously, they wanted to attack Riley from time to time, but he was always in the spot to make the play and that's what you ask young guys to do. Compete and challenge guys every play. He tackled well."

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Geno Smith's perfect throw to Lockett on that final third-down was unfortunate, but the rub-route that freed him up was also executed perfectly by all Seahawks involved. It shouldn't take away from how solid Moss was.

"That was encouraging for a young corner to go out there and tackle that back one-on-one a couple of times," Joseph said of Moss. "That's encouraging. He played with confidence and he wasn't shaken by anything. He's going to be fine.”

Next up, Moss and company will be tested against Justin Fields and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stay tuned.

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