TALIB TRADE TURNS UP COMPETITION AT CORNERBACK
The Broncos signed Tramaine Brock to seize the role, but he has a hamstring injury.
They drafted Brendan Langley last year to get ready to play this season, but he has been up and down.
And they claimed C.J. Smith to provide depth, but he has never covered the slot receiver in a game.
Translation: The Broncos have plenty of options to be their third cornerback this season, but through two weeks of training camp, nothing has crystallized. Whether that is good or concerning will begin to develop Saturday night in Denver’s preseason opener against Minnesota.
The Broncos’ third cornerback spot came open during the offseason when Aqib Talib was traded to the Los Angeles Rams and Bradley Roby moved into the No. 2 spot behind Chris Harris.
This search is a departure for the Broncos. From 2014-17, they went into every game knowing their top three cornerbacks were Talib, Harris and Roby.
Plan A for the Broncos remains Brock, who has a combined 101 games of NFL regular season and playoff experience. But he has not practiced since July 30 and is a game-time decision for Saturday.
If Brock falls behind, Langley
and Isaac Yiadom are the leading contenders. Harris said both have “freakish talents.”
During Thursday’s practice, Yiadom was the third cornerback against the first-team offense, playing outside.
“He’s a guy that you love to coach because he does exactly what you tell him to do,” defensive coordinator Joe Woods said recently. “He plays with clean eyes. He has the proper technique in everything he does. I really look forward to him playing in the preseason.”
Yiadom is 6-foot-1, 190 pounds and has been physical against receivers in practice. He has been called for penalties, but he also has shown he knows how to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and effectively “flip his hips” when his opponent changes his route.
“He’s been able to make plays,” Harris said. “He’s a smart player, so I’m not surprised at all (by his progress).”
Yiadom said staying calm has been his mind-set during camp when he goes against receivers Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton.
“I just try to go out there and try to have fun,” Yiadom said. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to have fun or else you can’t be out there.”
Said coach Vance Joseph: “I want to see (in the game) what he’s done in practice. He’s been really, really efficient with his technique. He doesn’t get beat deep and that’s critical for a young corner. I want him to go out there and play with great technique and with his brain.”
Langley didn’t have much fun early in camp, missing assignments. Coaches have spent time before and after practice on the field going through steps and other techniques.
“He’s working hard,” Joseph said. “He’s a young player that has played receiver half his life. He’s still learning to play corner, but he’s a talented player that needs more time to figure out how to play corner. I’ve been encouraged by him this week.”
If the Broncos want to keep Harris as a roving outside cornerback to face a team’s best receiver, that could help Smith squeeze onto the roster.
Smith was the most unheralded of the backup cornerback group entering camp. He played 10 games for Philadelphia in 2016 and three games for Cleveland last year. On March 19, he was traded to Seattle for a 2020 conditional seventh-round pick. The trade was nullified three days later when the Seahawks said Smith failed his physical. The Browns waived him April 12, and he was claimed by the Broncos.
Smith is playing inside for the first time as a pro.
“The closer you are to the ball, the faster things are moving,” Smith said. “I’ve heard I had some qualities to be a nickel — short-burst quickness and being able to tackle — but had never gotten a chance to play it.”
If the depth chart falls apart behind Harris and Roby, using safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks to cover the slot receiver could be an option, but not an ideal one.