Sean Payton Raves About Broncos CB Riley Moss After Minicamp Practice

The arrow is pointing in the right direction for Denver Broncos second-year cornerback Riley Moss.

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

Given the sobering reality that the Denver Broncos will see Patrick Mahomes twice every year, head coach Sean Payton can't stockpile enough talented cornerbacks. Payton attempted to get ahead of the curve when he initially touched down in the Mile High City, a process that included drafting the physically gifted cornerback Riley Moss in Round 3 last year.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, Moss missed the bulk of the 2023 season after undergoing core muscle surgery, making it a debilitating loss for Payton. The ultimate goal is to turn the page on the former Iowa cornerback's medical misfortune during his rookie year, and put the talented 24-year-old in the best possible position to succeed. 

What the Broncos saw in Moss during the draft process clearly remains the same — irrespective of his bothersome injury history. Moss has been blessed with a unique kind of length, football IQ, and versatility, which might end up being helpful, especially given the early returns in practice.

"He's smart. I'd say you feel his length at corner," Payton said on Tuesday. "When I say that, just even on that play, it's a tougher play to make if you're a shorter corner. So you feel his length. He has really good transitional skills, and I think he's smart. He's picking up the technique, and has versatility outside, in. We have good competition there." 

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Building a cornerback unit that can hold up under constant attack from the likes of Mahomes, Moss will have to play significantly more defensive snaps in 2024. The greater vision is for Payton to have confidence when he examines the defensive back depth chart.

The additional reps Moss and his fellow cornerbacks can accumulate during the offseason are crucial because the challenges of playing the position in the NFL are significant. 

"I think it's valuable for all of them," Payton referenced the process of racking up more snaps. " I said this to them even when we brought everyone up, 'The goal here is we install-we'll call it the first seven installs, or eight—and then we start again today back to one, two, three.' In training camp, we start again. The goal is to put our best foot forward when we get to training camp. There are certain positions that obviously, the further away from the ball it's a little easier to do your job and it's much more challenging for the inside guys."

When Moss missed the bulk of last season, the Broncos looked to 2022 fourth-rounder Damarri Mathis early on to take on some tough assignments. Consequently, the process of retraining Mathis' body and mind back up to the standards he set as a rookie has a variety of complex layers to it.

"We have great competition there," Payton said of cornerback depth. "He played well two years ago as a rookie. These guys understand that at corner, it's a tough position. It's probably one of the harder positions in sport. You have to have a short memory, and you have to have some mental fortitude. I think he has that grit. I really like where he's at weight wise. I think he's moving well. I know he's trained quite a bit this offseason, got his weight down. He's impressed here during this period."

Despite the free-agent signing of Levi Wallace, the wider youth movement presently being embraced by Payton is most dramatically underlined by his baby-faced cornerback unit. Getting younger, faster, and more versatile will require levels of growth and collective amnesia, as Payton referenced. 

Thankfully, Payton harbors no fears in coaching younger players and it's just as well because it will be happening at quarterback and all over the Broncos' rebuilt roster. 

"There's a new energy to it, a new challenge," Payton said. " I think really really it's that challenge of working with a young team, not just at quarterback. I think that's the one thing I notice at least watching. I feel the competition. I think it's part of what makes this job exciting because it is very competitive. It's meeting the challenge and giving these guys the best plan and the best opportunity. I look forward to training camp and the season."

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