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Broncos Country has spent the days since the overtime escape at Empower Field at Mile High arguing about Jahdae Barron. The Denver Broncos’ second-year corner allowed nine catches on 12 targets against Seattle and finished with a 41.6 coverage grade from PFF for the night.
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That number lands at an awkward time. Pat Surtain II is still nursing an ankle injury, and while 9NEWS’ Mike Klis has expressed hope he returns at Arizona, NFL on Prime’s James Palmer reported that Week 8 is more likely. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is also out two to three weeks, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, with Devon Key starting in his place. That is why the trade question keeps coming up before the Nov. 10 deadline.
What a cornerback trade would cost Denver
Barron’s full season paints a calmer picture. Across 145 coverage snaps, he owns a 60.9 coverage grade per PFF, so one game is doing most of the damage to his reputation. Denver also hasn’t flinched on his role. He played all 85 defensive snaps against Seattle after being locked in as an every-down corner the week before.
Kris Abrams-Draine gave up eight catches on 14 targets but also broke up three passes and intercepted Sam Darnold late in regulation, which is why he is holding his corner job as Riley Moss works back from a rib injury. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has backed him. “So when he’s playing for us, we have no worries as far as the coverage part,” Joseph said, via The Gazette. Add Ja’Quan McMillian’s overtime interception and the room looks deeper than one box score suggests.
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The outside market isn’t friendly either. PFF’s list of trade candidates includes Tampa Bay’s Zyon McCollum, who is in the first year of a three-year, $48 million extension, and the Jets’ Brandon Stephens. Denver has just $4,719,396 in cap space according to Over The Cap, so either deal would require sending real salary back.
So the answer for now is probably no. With a team that Sean Payton admits could easily be 2-4, the bigger risk is Surtain’s ankle. If he is still sidelined once Week 8 passes, a call to Tampa Bay or New York becomes worth making before Nov. 10.
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This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 1:45 PM.