Emergence of Riley Moss has unlocked Denver Broncos' defense

The Denver Broncos were hoping early returns on inserting Riley Moss into the starting lineup would be good, but it would hardly be surprising to hear from a team source that the second-year cornerback has surpassed expectations thus far.

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph praised Moss’s ability to bounce back in tough moments this week.

“That’s part of being a good pro,” the Broncos defensive coordinator told the press. “You have to correct quickly in this league, especially at corner, because every play can be a touchdown. He corrects quickly, and he digests it, and he has it for next week.

Per PFF, Moss was the highest-graded Broncos corner in the team’s victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday. He’d be the first to tell you that he still has areas to improve upon, but his ability to step in and play at a high level has helped the Broncos defense take a huge step forward in 2024.

The ability of Moss to line up across from perennial superstar Patrick Surtain II and hold his own has allowed the Broncos to be a complete terror to opposing quarterbacks upfront. Denver is blitzing at a rate of 56.9%, by far the most in the NFL.

Joseph is able to call so many blitzes because he knows his secondary can hold up one-on-one more often than not, and Moss’s play is a huge part of that equation. The Broncos have allowed just one completion of 20+ yards this season, best in the league.

The Broncos have surprised a lot of people on defense, with a ferocious pass rush and a secondary that has been highly effective. New DB coach Jim Leonhard deserves plenty of credit for the early returns that Moss has shown so far, and his effectiveness has helped the entire defense reach a level of play they couldn’t muster at their best last year.