When the Denver Broncos traded the 108th overall pick and a future third-round selection to the Seattle Seahawks for the 83rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they clearly had something in mind. Using that pick to draft Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Riley Moss was seen as both calculated and hopeful. While he possessed elite ball skills and had come from a program known for developing NFL-ready players, there were still plenty of questions as to what Moss’ ceiling would be at the next level.

Playing in fourteen games as a rookie, Moss didn’t exactly light the league on fire, combining for just six tackles. However, last year, Moss proved many of the doubters wrong, earning a starting position at right cornerback for the Broncos. Recording 86 total tackles, including 65 solo efforts, Moss turned some heads and made the Broncos’ front office look like geniuses for potentially grabbing a future cornerstone piece of their defensive unit.

From Sidelines To Starter

After suiting up for 54 college games, with 40 starts, over a five-year span, including 24 in his final two seasons with the Hawkeyes, Moss’s road to becoming a legitimate NFL starter wasn’t the easiest. The Hawkeyes are one of the most famous teams in Iowa, as you can see here: https://www.youbet.com/states/iowa/

Struggling to remain on the field due to injuries, many were feeling justified in their belief that the Broncos made a mistake trading up for him.

Despite his exceptional game-play instincts, ball skill, size and strength, Moss wasn’t exactly in a position physically to prove the naysayers otherwise, at least until 2024, when he became one of the first two white cornerbacks to start since 2003.

Starting 14 games for the Broncos last season, in addition to the 86 tackles, Moss chipped in with eight deflected passes, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Not bad numbers for a guy who was just one of seven players in the league to see at least 100 targets (107) come his way. When you line up opposite Pat Surtain II, opposing teams tend to steer clear of the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, meaning Moss saw plenty of action.

Financially Friendly Deal

Moss’s $5.45 million deal carries through the end of the 2026 season, which means the team has the 25-year-old locked up through his prime development years at a bargain rate. Considering the top cornerbacks in the league average $15-20 million per season, having a capable starter on a budget-friendly deal is an organization’s dream. By no means is this saying that Moss is worthy of the same pay scale as Surtain II or the league’s elite, but the cap flexibility certainly helps.

With Surtain II locked in as a defensive cornerstone on the left side, Moss’s cap-friendly contract and emergence on the field mean the Broncos can spend their free agent money elsewhere as the team looks to continue to climb the challenging AFC West standings. The combination of being talented enough to contribute effectively, young enough to improve, and affordable enough to allow flexibility for future pieces makes Moss a valuable component for the Broncos both now and in the future.

A Look Ahead

The saying “iron sharpens iron” may be the outlook for the Broncos’ secondary this season. After drafting Jahdae Barron with the 20th pick in this year’s draft, Denver looks to have a good problem at the cornerback position. Moss proved his worth last season and is set to start the year for head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. But the team didn’t shell out $18 million and $3.2 million this year to sit Barron on the bench behind Moss and nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian.

Ideally, the internal competition will improve the team’s defense overall, and Barron will likely take over as the starting nickelback before the end of the season and into next year. This leaves the window open for Moss to retain his starting position, with a motivating factor that the team could also slide Barron over should the third-year pro falter.

What does this ultimately mean for Moss and the Broncos’ future? Last season, the evidence proved the team made the right move with the 2023 draft trade, as Moss showed he is a legitimate talent at one of the league’s most challenging positions.

Taking into consideration the combination of on-field production, financial value, and the fact that he still has room to grow, Moss is the type of player that may not reach superstar status like that of Surtain II. Should he continue at his current pace, Moss certainly has a chance to earn several trips to the Pro Bowl and can certainly be one who has a legitimate impact on the Broncos’ playoff and championship aspirations for years to come.