The Broncos have had an elite defense the past few seasons led by defensive coordinator Vance Joseph who is clearly one of the sharpest defensive minds in the sport today formulating an elite Broncos’ defense for two straight seasons despite having good but not special talent. Heading into next season the personnel that the Broncos have on the defensive side of things will need to take the next step if Denver plans on having their defense take the next step as well and improve/maintain their level of play. Here I will go into detail assessing the Broncos’ secondary personnel as the 2026 season approaches.
Set to start at the first of the two primary cornerback spots is 2023 3rd rounder Riley Moss who is a solid player at the position for Denver. Moss barely played as a rookie and then graded in the below average range in his essential rookie season in 2024. Moss however in 2025, which was his first season taking snaps while not being essentially a rookie, played well, grading in nearly the top third among all qualified corners in terms of an overall defense grade according to Pro Football Focus.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga who came over from the 49ers before last season is set to start at strong safety. Hufanga is a talented but at times inconsistent player. In five seasons in the NFL, he has graded in the below average range among players at his position twice, although both instances where understandable. He graded below average as a rookie and in another injury shortened season, outside of that Hufanga consistently has graded in the above average to well above average range among his safety contemporaries. Although I never mistake Hufanga for being an elite player at the position.
Brandon Jones is set to start at free safety for the Broncos and has an elite ceiling but lacks consistency. Jones struggled to start his career, grading in the below average range in each of his first three seasons in the NFL and struggling to see the field as much as well. Jones in year 4 graded (16/101) in terms of an overall defense grade among players at his position while playing in less than 500 snaps however, borderline elite play. In year 5 in the NFL, he graded as the third best overall safety in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus while taking nearly 1000 snaps, a remarkable feat. Jones however regressed to the mean during the 2025 season, grading nearly exactly average according to Pro Football Focus.
Former first round cornerback Patrick Surtain II is set to start at the other primary cornerback spot for Denver and is among the premier defensive players in the NFL. Surtain II has graded as the 1st or 2nd best overall corner in the NFL on two occasions taking roughly 1000 snaps each time, and grading in the above average to well above average range otherwise in five total seasons. Surtain II has made two first team All-Pros and has won a Defensive Player of the Year in just five seasons in the NFL.
Ja’Quan McMillian rounds out the Broncos’ starting secondary at the nickel corner spot for Denver. McMillian has had an up and down career but possesses an elite ceiling which he showed last season. An undrafted free agent before 2022, he hardly played as a rookie but then had a strong year 2 in the NFL ranking (50/133) in terms of an overall defense grade among players at his position according to Pro Football Focus. The next season he regressed however ranking (85/128) in that same department, he however seemed to put it all together during the 2025 season grading as the sixth best overall corner in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus in over 700 snaps. One cannot dispute the talent he has, but he is clearly very inconsistent.
Denver has some noteworthy names from a depth standpoint in their secondary as well. The most noteworthy being 2025 1st rounder Jahdae Barron who struggled as a rookie but was still respectable. He was drafted very highly and was a remarkable college player, winning the award for the being the best defensive back in all of college football in his final season at Texas. Barron might find his way into the Broncos’ starting lineup next season if some of the inconsistent starters are not on their A game. The Broncos have some more solid secondary depth in the likes of safety Devon Key, and cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine. Denver has likely the most talented secondary in the NFL and a breakdown of the unit can be found below.
2026 Broncos Projected Secondary Starters
LCB – Riley Moss – B-, still needs to prove it more to warrant a higher grade
SS – Talanoa Hufanga – B-
FS – Brandon Jones – B+, elite ceiling, inconsistent
RCB – Patrick Surtain II – A to A+
NB – Ja’Quan McMillian – B+, elite ceiling, inconsistent
2026 Notable Broncos’ Secondary Reserves
S – Devon Key – B+ to A-, elite in very limited snaps in 2025, his only year outside of his essential rookie season
CB – Kris Abrams-Draine – C+ to B-, looked borderline elite in very limited rookie snaps, regressed badly in year 2
CB – Jahdae Barron – 2025 1st rounder, C to C- as rookie, remarkable college player
