With all the moves the Denver Broncos have made, they still need help at multiple spots. One area they need the most help is in their secondary. They need depth at both corner and safety while also bringing in someone who can compete to start.
Damarri Mathis and Caden Sterns are projected starters at the moment, but both need someone to push them instead of being handed the job. Mathis is only entering his second year, and his rookie season was up and down. As for Sterns, he has shown promise but is working back from an injury that sidelines him for most of the 2022 season.
Austin has the traits to play multiple roles in the secondary, but he may project best as a split safety. That versatility is a boost, and Vance Joseph has liked to deploy a versatile defensive back over the years. While Austin is a solid fit overall, he is a better fit as a safety than as a corner.
There is good versatility with Carrington in the scheme, and he might be better working as a safety in the NFL. He has upside at corner, but he does better when the play is in front of him but needs to develop some discipline with fakes. The fit with the Broncos is there, at corner and safety, though he will take time to transition to safety.
His versatility is a good boost for the Broncos, and in the scheme Vance Joseph runs, he may be a better fit as a full-time safety. However, there is enough to compete with Caden Sterns as the starter, with the ability to drop into the nickel. As a natural fit in the scheme and the ability to help out anywhere in the secondary, he could be a great pickup.
Johnson is a natural zone corner, but he projects better as a safety in the NFL. He does fit well with the Broncos as a safety but not as a corner with his issues in man coverage. There is also an issue with his run fills and being timid, which isn't good for the Broncos.
He isn't a great fit as a boundary corner in the NFL, but he can handle work in the slot in zone concepts. There is also the ability to move him to safety to see if he can hang there. If he goes undrafted, he would be an interesting piece for the Broncos to try and develop.
It is easy to see how the Broncos need help in the secondary. There are some versatile pieces in the draft that can play corner or be moved to safety. Obviously, they would have a set position for the Broncos, but they would have the option of finding the best place for them, and it helps them in emergency situations that hopefully don't come up this next season.
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