Like with Bill Clinton as President of the United States, the Denver Broncos have a budget surplus. Cornerback Riley Moss is exceeding expectations as a third-round pick. He is No. 25 in PFSN’s CB Impact Score. For reference, there are 96 starting cornerbacks because the majority of offenses line up in 11 personnel more than 50% of the time. So, you need three starting caliber cornerbacks on defense. Well, the Broncos have that — plus one.
The Riley Moss Decision
The Broncos drafted fellow cornerback Jahdae Barron, No. 89 in PFSN’s CB Impact Score, No. 20 in the 2025 NFL Draft. But the pick has motivated Moss. What should the Broncos do? In 11 games, Moss has seven pass breakups. Yes, he has 11 penalties, but that’s a part of playing man coverage defense. For reference, another fellow cornerback, Pat Surtain II, has six penalties in eight games played.
So, Moss is legit. Third-round picks, though, are boom or bust. In other words, third-round picks typically play through their rookie contracts and sign elsewhere after four years. It’s all tacit knowledge, though. But this is why the Broncos likely won’t extend Moss when he’s eligible for a new contract. That and Denver already made the Barron pick. It’s more likely Moss is traded after the 2025 season than to receive a contract extension.
It’s hard to imagine sitting Barron, a first-round pick, for two seasons to start Moss. And applying tacit knowledge, it’s likelier the Broncos bring nickel cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian back, 25 and No. 62 in PFSN’s CB Impact Score, than Moss. The former is scheduled to be a restricted free agent. But the reasoning is counterintuitive. Moss is the better cornerback. So, he will net more in a trade than McMillian.
Moss and Barron are both too good to sit in 2026 as depth pieces while waiting to start. Barron is the most recent pick and was drafted in the first round. For reference, first-round picks are expected to play 10-plus years as blue-chip talent cornerstones for franchises.
So, trading Moss for a second-round pick is in the range of outcomes, while Denver would settle for an early third-round pick. And if the Broncos acquire A.J. Brown for a second-round pick, the Moss trade replenishes the Day 2 selection. The first half of the third round is more stable than the second half.