It appears the Denver Broncos will finally see what they have at cornerback in 2025 1st-round pick Jahdae Barron, who will almost certainly be pressed into duty after injuries to starters Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss in a Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Barron has been on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time in Denver — buried behind Surtain, Moss, and slot cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian on the depth chart.
If Barron can show he’s an elite cornerback with Surtain possibly headed to injured reserve and Moss possibly out for at least 1 game, it could change the trajectory of the season for the Broncos — and ESPN’s Ben Solak thinks it could turn Moss into a valuable asset to another team before the November 10 NFL trade deadline.
No team in the NFL is more desperate for help in the secondary right now than the Detroit Lions, who are 2-2 but have given up more passing yards (1,308) and passing touchdowns (11) than anyone in the league through 4 games.
Trade Pitch Sends Riley Moss to Detroit Lions
Solak thinks Moss could be the difference between the Lions making the playoffs and missing out for a 2nd consecutive season.
“There’s nothing about this pass defense that doesn’t stink,” Solak wrote on October 6. “A fully healthy Branch, plus a decided leap in sack rate on all of these pressures, alongside another midseason defensive back acquisition (Broncos CB Riley Moss?) and the continued health of the defensive line … and I could see the Lions’ passing defense getting to average by the end of the season.”
Trade Rumors Continue to Follow Riley Moss
Moss’ name became popular in trade rumors almost as soon as the Broncos took Barron with the No. 20 overall pick in 2025 — what seemed like a direct move to supplant Moss from the starting lineup.
The problem is that Barron hasn’t been able to beat out Moss or McMillian, who became 2 of the NFL’s elite players at their positions in 2025.
With Moss and McMillian both in the final years of their rookie contracts in 2026, the Broncos are at a crossroads — and it doesn’t seem like they’ll be willing to pay up for both players.
In May, the DNVR Denver Broncos Podcast went over what contract extensions might look like for both players — predicting McMillian at a 3-year, $48 million extension and Moss at a 3-year, $55 million extension.
If both players hit the open market, those deals could be worth $5 million to $10 million more.
Broncos Trade Pitch Sends CB Riley Moss to NFC North