The Denver Broncos got this good on defense by developing players into stars — both through the draft and by nabbing underrated free agents.
One draft pick under head coach Sean Payton who has developed into a star is outside cornerback Riley Moss, a 3rd-round pick in Payton’s first draft in 2023.
Moss, to put it lightly, is about to get super-duper paid this offseason — by the Broncos or someone else — and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put him at the top of his 2027 NFL Free Agent Big Board following Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Moss came in at No. 11 on Bleacher Report’s Top 50 and was the second-highest-rated player at his position behind Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter at No. 9 overall, where he’s predicted to receive a 4-year, $110 million contract.
While Moss might not sniff those lofty contract numbers, he’s going to get pretty darn close. It would be an incredible come-up for a player in his third year as a starter and in the final season of a 4-year, $5.4 million rookie contract.
The Broncos are currently 7-2 and on a five-game winning streak — they’re also in line to make the playoffs with Moss as the starter opposite NFL All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain for the third straight season.
“A 2023 third-round pick out of Iowa, Riley Moss has established himself as a quality perimeter starter in Denver’s defense,” Knox wrote on Wednesday. “The 26-year-old has been heavily tested while playing opposite Patrick Surtain II and has rarely flinched. He’s a rangy corner at 6’0″, 193 pounds, who will only turn 27 in March.”
Porter’s top two possible suitors were listed as the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders — teams that might also be counted on to go after Moss if he becomes available.
Riley Moss Projected for 3-Year, $55 Million Contract
The DNVR Denver Broncos Podcast went over what a contract extension might look like for Moss before the season, projecting a 3-year, $55 million extension.
If Moss hits the open market after a good-to-great season, that final number could leap up another $5 million to $10 million.
From DNVR: “For Riley, the projection is 3 years, $55 million … that’s probably about the ceiling right now. He’s certainly not getting $20 million per year. Even $18 million is a little too close to that, so we’re erring on the high side. If these guys hit the open market next year, they’re getting this kind of money. You do get a little bit of a discount when you sign them early, so there’s no reason it wouldn’t happen here.”
Riley Moss Scored Massive Offseason Payday
Moss was one of the NFL’s top earners in the league’s annual performance-based incentives program following the 2025 season — the bonus system that pays players with low salaries and high snap counts.
Moss scored a $1.136 million bonus after starting all 17 games in 2025. It ranked Moss No. 12 among all NFL players who received bonuses, with Chicago Bears cornerback Nahson Wright coming in 1st with a $1.441 million bonus.
In 2024, Moss started 14 games after missing 3 games due to injury, and in each of his 2 seasons as a full-time starter, the Broncos have made the playoffs.
Moss’ contract paid him approximately $1.2 million in 2025 — meaning his bonus almost doubled his annual salary.
“Some exceptional players on that list — including Riley Moss toward the top,” Broncos fan Ron Caphill wrote on X. “Hopefully, Broncos Country appreciates and understands this.”
Broncos Star Named NFL’s Top Projected Free Agent