Jahdae Barron’s season had barely started before his role in Denver looked like it was slipping away. Then Sunday night happened.
In the Broncos’ 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Barron finally got a meaningful run on defense, logging 24 snaps after seeing almost nothing through the first two weeks. According to Mile High Report, that was a massive jump from what he had been given earlier in the season: four defensive snaps in the opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and two more in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That kind of usage is hard to miss. Barron played four times as many defensive snaps against the Rams as he had in Denver’s first two games combined.
For a former first-round pick, the situation had become a real talking point. The Broncos took Barron with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a crowded secondary left him fighting for a consistent role. Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian were already ahead of him on the depth chart, and Barron’s playing time only shrank once the regular season got underway.
Before the Rams game, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph hinted Barron might get a shot. He did, and he made the most of the opportunity he was given in terms of workload, even if the stat line stayed modest. Barron finished with one tackle.
The snap count tells the bigger story. Barron was on the field for 24 of Denver’s 86 defensive plays, which came out to 28 percent of the unit’s work. McMillian remained the main nickel corner, playing 54 snaps, while Moss and Pat Surtain II were on the field for all 86.
That matters for more than just one Sunday night. Denver entered the season with Barron, Moss and McMillian all competing for time, and both Moss and McMillian are in contract years. The Broncos have real decisions ahead in that secondary, and Barron’s development could simplify some of them.
He was drafted in the first round for a reason. As a rookie, Barron played in all 17 games, started five times and logged 334 defensive snaps. That made his early-season disappearance all the more striking.
The Broncos, meanwhile, were busy mounting another comeback. They erased a 16-point halftime deficit to beat the Rams for their second straight comeback win, and Barron’s expanded role got lost in the noise of the finish, including Talanoa Hufanga’s historic two-interception performance.
Still, for Barron, Sunday night may have been the first sign that things are starting to turn.
In Other News...
Broncos Just Got A Reminder Of Where They Stand With CBS
The broadcast assignments for this week offered a small but telling reminder of how CBS is viewing the AFC West picture. Rather than placing its top crew on Broncos-49ers, the network sent Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt to Raiders-Chiefs, leaving Denvers matchup to a different booth in the same time slot. For Broncos fans, it was the kind of selection that tends to sting a little, especially when the alternative is a game that could carry more weight on the field.
The reaction followed quickly, with plenty of fans arguing that star power and familiar storylines won out over the more compelling football. It also served as another confirmation that Tony Romo remains away from CBS broadcasts, even as the network leans on its other marquee voices for the biggest windows. For Denver, the message was hard to miss: the Broncos still have to earn their place in the spotlight before CBS treats them like a featured game. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Took An Unusual Risk In Denvers Comeback Win
Sean Payton did something out of character in Denvers comeback win over the Rams, and it helped swing the game. The Broncos pulled out a 30-26 victory with a pair of successful two-point conversions in the third quarter, a stretch of aggression from a coach who usually leans conservative in that part of the game. The calls were not just bold in the abstract, either, with one built around a pass from Bo Nix to Jaylen Waddle and another coming off a trick look involving Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant.
For Payton, the moves stood out because they ran against his usual preference to avoid going for two that early. It was the kind of in-game shift that can define a close win, especially when a team is trying to claw back against a quality opponent. The Broncos got the result they needed, but the more interesting part may be what it says about how far Payton is willing to push the envelope when the moment calls for it. [Read more 🡒]
J.K. Dobbins Is Raising A Bigger Broncos Concern Than Fans Expected
J.K. Dobbins arrived in Denver with the expectation that he could give the Broncos a steadier presence in the backfield, but the early returns have been more complicated than anyone wanted. His rushing average has slipped to 3.5 yards per carry to start the 2026 season, a steep drop from a career mark above 5.0, and the numbers around him are just as thin: four first downs, no touchdowns and one fumble.
The bigger issue is what the film appears to show. Analyst Cecil Lammey pointed to Dobbins hesitation and reduced explosiveness, suggesting injuries may be part of the problem even with solid run blocking in front of him. He also left a game early with a possible hamstring injury, and for a Broncos offense that expected more stability there, the concern now is whether this is a temporary dip or something that could linger. [Read more 🡒]