Riley Moss has a chance to change the conversation around himself and, by extension, around the Broncos’ defense in 2026.
For Denver, the financial stakes are real too. Top cornerbacks on the open market are now landing at least $18 million per season in free agency, and that number keeps climbing. A big year from Moss could put him in a very different lane.
What makes him such an interesting case is the volume. Over the past two seasons, Moss has been the most targeted cornerback in the NFL with 221 targets, and the production has swung wildly from excellent to frustrating. He tied for the league lead last season with 19 passes broken up, but he also finished with the most penalty yardage in the NFL.
That kind of profile naturally splits opinions. Some see a corner who’s constantly around the ball.
Others see a player who leaves too many openings and too many flags behind. The easiest way for Moss to quiet the noise in 2026 is simple: turn more of those chances into interceptions.
That would matter for more than just his own reputation. The Broncos finished 26th in the NFL with only 14 turnovers forced, and just 13 of those came from the defense.
Jonah Elliss added one more on kickoff coverage against the Chargers early in the season, and Denver did show what it can look like when the turnovers come in bunches during the playoff win against Buffalo. That’s the kind of disruption the Broncos need to carry into 2026.
Moss has the opportunity to be a major part of that. When a corner is seeing roughly 110 targets a season, the ball is going to find him plenty.
He’s already shown he can disrupt plays. At Iowa, he had 11 interceptions and 26 passes defensed.
But in two years as a starter for the Broncos, he has only two interceptions.
The breakups matter, especially when you’re tied for the NFL lead in passes broken up. But one interception every 110 throws in your direction isn’t enough to scare teams away.
If Moss can start converting more of those chances into picks, the ripple effect could be huge. An early-season interception burst could push opposing quarterbacks to test Ja'Quan McMillian more often, or even take a few more shots at Pat Surtain. And every takeaway brings more possessions and better field position for Denver’s offense, which is exactly what last year’s team kept missing in all those one-score games.
Moss isn’t responsible for everything that went wrong, but he is the Broncos defender who gets challenged most often. He has also carried the reputation of being grabby downfield, with more flags than he probably needed or deserved.
In 2026, the answer has to come on the ball. He needs to get his head around, make quarterbacks pay, and change the story when teams keep testing him deep.
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That is why the free-agent market still makes sense as a place to look, with veteran names like Bobby Okereke, Jabrill Peppers and Jadaveon Clowney standing out as possible fits. Each would bring a different kind of help, whether it is steadiness in the middle, experience on the back end or another proven body up front, and the Broncos may not want to let those options disappear before the first practice snaps arrive. [Read more 🡒]
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Coleman enters a room that already includes RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins, so playing time will have to be earned, not assumed. Still, the Broncos have reason to think a committee setup can work in their favor, especially if Coleman can help lighten the load and keep everyone fresher over the long haul. If he settles in quickly, Denver may have found a back who can do more than wait in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Have One AFC West Edge That Could Change Everything
If the Broncos are going to make a serious push in the AFC West, it may start where games are often won and lost: up front. Denver has a case for owning the divisions best line play on both sides of the ball, and that kind of edge can travel in January if the rest of the roster keeps pace.
The 2025 numbers back up the argument. The Broncos were stout against the run, disruptive in the pass rush and steady in pass protection, a combination that gives them a foundation few rivals can match. Even with J.K. Dobbins part of the conversation before his injury, the larger picture is the same for Denver: if the trenches stay dominant, the path to the top of the division gets a lot clearer. [Read more 🡒]