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The Denver Broncos have had 2 games to see what life is like without second year cornerback Riley Moss — and it’s not great.
Moss has had 3 weeks to heal the knee he injured in a Week 12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and practiced for the first time since the injury on Tuesday before a Week 16 Thursday Night Football game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Riley Moss took a step closer to his return on Tuesday, seeing limited practice work as the Denver Broncos held a walk-through session,” wrote 104.3 The Fan’s Andrew Mason on December 17. “It marked the first practice-field work for Moss since he suffered an MCL injury in the second quarter of the Broncos’ Nov. 24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Moss stretched with his teammates last week, but was officially listed throughout the week with a ‘did not practice’ designation, as he spent the actual practice session focused on rehab work.”
Without Moss, the Broncos have seen a rotation of backup cornerbacks struggled playing across from NFL All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain. That included a Week 13 game in which Cleveland Browns wide receiver (and former Bronco) Jerry Jeudy torched the secondary to the tune of 9 receptions for 235 yards and 1 touchdown — an NFL single-game record for a player against his old team.
Moss started all 12 games for the Broncos before his injury, with 71 tackles, 1 interception and 1 tackle for loss.
Moss Has Been Revelation for Broncos
Sports Illustrated’s Chad Evans called Moss “one of the NFL’s best young cornerbacks” just 5 games into the regular season and after the Broncos defeated the Raiders in Week 5 — a game in which Moss recorded his first career interception.
“There’s no question that Moss is having himself a year,” Evans wrote. “The 2023 third-round draft pick out of Iowa is in his first year as a starter, and the early returns have been near-on spectacular. In tandem with Surtain’s production, the Broncos are giddy. In the Broncos’ 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Moss was pivotal. He had two passes defensed and notched the first interception of his career, as the Broncos smothered the Raiders’ two quarterbacks. Between Moss and Surtain, the Broncos’ cornerback duo totaled three interceptions.”
Moss Became Odd Part of NFL History in 2024
When Moss beat out Damarri Mathis for the starting cornerback spot opposite Surtain for the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, he became an odd part of NFL history as the first white cornerback to start a game in 22 years — since Jason Sehorn for the New York Giants in 2002.
Moss’ ascension wasn’t a surprise. He was a 2-time All-Big Ten pick at the University of Iowa and the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2021.
The Broncos selected Moss in the third round (No. 83 overall) of the 2023 NFL draft and as a rookie in 2023, he played primarily on special teams.
“An instinctive cornerback with good size and play strength, Moss will need to prove he has the speed and durability needed for the next level,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in 2023. ” … Ballhawking instincts and soft hands are a big part of his game, as is his physicality at the catch point and as a tackler.”
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Broncos Get Encouraging Injury Update on One of NFL’s ‘Best Young Cornerbacks’