From the outside looking in, it seems like the Broncos wasted their 2025 1st-round pick on cornerback Jahdae Barron — how else can we explain him getting just 6 total defensive snaps through the 1st 2 games?
Don’t listen to the “dime” and “heavy package” mumbo jumbo from Broncos head coach Sean Payton, either. If Barron were any good, he’d be on the field.
Barron, however, did have 1 very high-profile defender this week in perennial All-Pro cornerback and 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II — himself a former 1st-round pick.
“When his name gets called, he’s always ready to step up and make plays,” Surtain said on September 23. “It’s just a matter of time. Once he starts getting in there and getting more snaps … at the end of the day, he knows his role and he knows how much he means to this defense. It’s just day-by-day, staying sharp and staying in the playbook and staying ready.”
Jahdae Barron’s NFL Career Seemed DOA
Since Barron was selected in the 1st round (No. 20 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s been thoroughly outplayed by every member of the Broncos’ secondary and hasn’t ever really threatened to take the job of either slot cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, an undrafted free agent, or outside cornerback and former 3rd-round pick.
The truth is, he probably never will. The truth is, the Broncos need to pay both McMillian and Moss, who are in contract years, and see if they can trick some cornerback-needy team into trading for Barron.
Barron is in the 2nd season of a 4-year, $18 million contract.
Barron Played Way Into Less Snaps After Week 1
Barron wasn’t left out of the 1 defining metric the entire Broncos defense got in on in a Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs — missed tackles.
“The Broncos defense missed 28 tackles against the Chiefs, allowing 247 yards after missed tackles, the most yards allowed by any defense in a game since at least 2018,” Next Gen Stats wrote on its official X account. “The Broncos had eight different defenders miss multiple tackles on the night.”
Barron was 1 of those defenders, even though he was on the field for just 4 defensive snaps.
“Kenneth Walker powered through a Jahdae Barron tackle attempt on the sideline just enough to convert a third-and-10,” The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel wrote on his official X account.
“What a TERRIBLE Draft pick Jahdae Barron has been,” Broncos Brasil wrote on X. “Impossible to keep him on the field at the expense of Ja’Quan McMillian. HORRIBLE Tackle on Kenneth Walker that cost a 3rd to 10 conversion. EMBARRASSING!”
Broncos Passed Over Future Stars for Barron
While the 2025 NFL Draft was pretty lackluster overall, the biggest fail for the Broncos’ scouting department came in the form of 1 player selected shortly after Barron who could have addressed perhaps Denver’s weakest position group.
The Cleveland Browns selected inside linebacker Carson Schwesinger at No. 33 overall — the 1st pick of the 2nd round — and not only did he win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year but he’s already looked at as 1 of the NFL’s best players at his position.
Imagine how Schwesinger may have fit on Denver’s defense?
Denver Broncos All-Pro Patrick Surtain II Defends Embattled 1st-Round Pick