Getty Denver Broncos cornerback Essang Bassey catches a pass.
The Denver Broncos were officially awarded punter Corliss Waitman and cornerback Essang Bassey off waivers on February 14, according to the team. Both players will now be added to the 90-man offseason roster.
We’ve been assigned CB Essang Bassey & P Corliss Waitman off waivers.
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The Broncos had submitted a claim for Waitman in January, but the move could not be made official until after the Super Bowl.
Bassey will return to the Broncos after he was waived by the team in December.
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Bassey Returns to the Broncos
Bassey will return to the Broncos after a short stint with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Broncos signed Bassey as an undrafted free agent in 2020, and he played a significant role for the team.
In 2020, Bassey appeared in 12 games and played a total of 382 defensive snaps. Bassey recorded 23 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, two passes defended, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
As a rookie, Bassey struggled at times. Pro Football Focus gave Bassey a grade of only 50.4. When targeted, Basey allowed 24 completions on 28 targets, which is less than ideal.
Bassey appeared in one game for the Broncos last season. He was waived, and the Chargers claimed him on December 20, 2021.
Former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio expressed disappointment when Bassey was claimed:
It was disappointing. As you guys know, we have an overabundance of defensive backs right now. When you have to make a roster move, sometimes at this point season, you have to roll the dice and hope you get the guy back, but we didn’t.
However, Bassey played only one game with the Chargers, and he was waived on January 8, 2022.
Bassey is still only 23 years old, and he has a lot of potential.
Cornerbacks Bryce Callahan, Kyle Fuller, Michael Ford, and Nate Hairston are all set to become unrestricted free agents.
Bassey will add some much-needed depth. He is a nice addition to the 90-man roster.
Waitman Was Impressive in Limited Action With Steelers
Waitman has bounced around the league a lot in his short career, but when he has been on the field, he has been impressive.
Waitman played college football at South Alabama. After going undrafted in 2020, he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he spent the majority of the season on their practice squad.
He was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason, but he was waived only one month later. Then, he was signed to the New England Patriots practice squad in November of 2021.
Finally, the Steelers signed him off the Patriots’ practice squad on Christmas Day.
He appeared in two games for the Steelers last season. He punted seven times, and he recorded an average of 52.1 yards, which actually led the entire NFL.
The Broncos’ current punter is Sam Martin. Martin was excellent last season. Martin posted a net average of 42.8 yards, which was the third-highest in the NFL.
Waitman should give the Broncos some depth at the position.
Unless the Broncos shockingly decided to move on from Martin, Waitman seems like a candidate to make the practice squad.