We anticipate that the Denver Broncos will make further adjustments during the 2023 NFL offseason. This is hardly unexpected given roster spots are still available. Of course, they can do so through the draft. They might, however, continue to seek other available players in the free agency market. Here we'll look at the most significant roster need of the Broncos after the first week of the 2023 NFL free agency period.
Keep in mind that last season was a disappointment for the Broncos. They were expected to compete for the AFC West title after acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. However, they finished last in their division with a 5-12 record. This year, they hired Sean Payton as head coach to lead the team and make the most of Wilson and the offense. Despite losing early-round draft picks in the Wilson trade and the Payton acquisition, the Broncos are expected to make additional moves during free agency to address their needs.
Yes, the Broncos' acquisition of Payton was a significant move. However, it came at the cost of a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick. Furthermore, the Broncos already gave up draft capital to acquire Wilson from the Seahawks. Consequently, the team has limited early-round draft capital to work with in the upcoming seasons. Nevertheless, the Broncos still have about $9.3 million in cap space and are expected to make other significant moves in free agency to address their needs.
Let's look at the biggest roster need of the Broncos after the first week of free agency.
Add cornerback depth
The Broncos do have a promising set of cornerbacks following the emergence of Damarri Mathis in the previous season. In fact, the team seems to have solidified its top three cornerback spots for the upcoming 2023 season with Pat Surtain and Mathis playing on the outside and K'Waun Williams in the slot. However, Ronald Darby, a starting-caliber CB, entered free agency, and the Broncos could use some experienced depth beyond their top three CBs.
To address this, the Broncos may consider signing some budget cornerbacks this offseason. They could provide veteran depth to the team's cornerback group.
First is Rock Ya-Sin . Now, despite the scarcity of veteran cornerbacks in the 2023 offseason, he is surprisingly still without a team. Since joining the league as a second-round pick in 2019, he had been a dependable presence. He appeared in 41 games and started 29 of them for the Indianapolis Colts before being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders for Yannick Ngakoue in March of 2022.
Rock Ya-Sin reps in press man this year…I can see the vision here pic.twitter.com/sRZIspjJaf
— Ramey (@HoodieRamey) March 17, 2023
Ya-Sin played well for the Raiders. He became a regular starter and had one of his best seasons until he suffered a knee injury in Week 13. Although he has only two career interceptions, Ya-Sin is a physical and resilient corner who shows steady progress each year. In the 2022 season, he allowed a career-best 82.6 QB rating in coverage. That improved from 88.8 the previous year.
Teams looking for toughness and physicality at the line of scrimmage could benefit from signing Ya-Sin. He is a 6'0 and 190-pound corner who competes hard against receivers on every snap. He can also counter big-bodied receivers who often pose a threat to defenses. Overall, Ya-Sin would provide great value to any team willing to sign him.
Marcus Peters is also a possible option. Peters is a ball hawk and has 32 career interceptions. However, he struggled for much of the 2022 season after missing the previous year with a major knee injury. Peters' volatility may deter some teams, but he is a smart football player.
Eli Apple from the Cincinnati Bengals is another option. The emergence of Cam Taylor-Britt and the expected return of Chidobe Awuzie have made him quite expendable in Cincinnati. Apple has improved his game and has been a starting corner for a quality defense. As such, he could help out the Broncos' defense.
Anthony Brown from the Dallas Cowboys is also worth considering. He signed a three-year, $15.5 million contract before the 2020 season and has started 36 games. He even set career highs in interceptions (three) and passes defended (17) in 2021. However, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 13 last year. He could be a team-friendly pick-up for Denver this offseason.
Lastly, the Jacksonville Jaguars released Shaquill Griffin from the remainder of his three-year, $44.5 million free-agent contract. He's coming off a back injury that limited him to five games in 2022. Now, that may limit his market. However, Griffin has started 72 games over six NFL seasons and reached the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement in 2019. A one-year, prove-it deal could bring value to a team like the Broncos that needs more competition on the outside.
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