The Detroit Lions suddenly have a hole to fill at cornerback, and the Denver Broncos might be one of the few teams with the kind of depth that can actually help.
That opening came after the Lions decided on Monday to release Terrion Arnold following his arrest last week on serious charges. Arnold, a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was heading into his third season with Detroit.
If the Lions go shopping, Denver makes a lot of sense as a possible trade partner. The Broncos are built differently at corner.
Pat Surtain II is still the league’s best at the position, and behind him the group has real quality with Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian. Denver also spent a first-round pick last year on Jahdae Barron out of Texas, though he barely saw the field.
That creates a tricky numbers game. McMillian played so well as the nickel corner that Barron may not be looking at much more playing time in 2026.
The Broncos would like to find a way to get Barron on the field more often to justify that premium investment, but not at the expense of McMillian. The same goes for Moss.
Moss is the tougher call. Denver will need to ease him into a bigger role, but if he does little more than he did last season, he’d be heading into year three with limited experience and could be exposed if forced into a starting job.
The biggest wrinkle is contract timing. Moss and McMillian are both set to hit free agency this offseason, and that will shape whatever Denver decides to do. One path would be extending both players and then looking to move Barron, who still could bring back a strong return because of his upside.
Not everyone would want the Broncos to go that route. Some would rather see Barron eventually step in for McMillian or Moss in 2027, especially after Denver used such a valuable pick on him.
Still, if the Broncos believe an undrafted player like Brent Austin can give them quality snaps, that could make the whole equation even more complicated.
For the Lions, the need is immediate. They remain a team trying to contend in the NFC, and they may be willing to make a move to address it.
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