The Denver Broncos needed to shore up the cornerback position following the 2023 season. What they did to achieve that was to sign veteran Levi Wallace, use a fifth-round pick on Kris Abrams-Draine, and bring in one cornerback as an undrafted free agent.
It may not seem like much, but it might have been the best the team could do with other pressing needs on the roster. Wallace will be in line to be a starter and Abrams-Draine should get some run as a rookie while the team hopes to see second-year corner Riley Moss step up.
But there is room for someone to step out of the shadows and make some noise at this position this season. Could Quinton Newsome be that guy?
Denver Broncos undrafted rookie spotlight
Player: Quinton Newsome
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 pounds
Hometown: Suwanee. Georgia
School: Nebraska
Newsome is not the only player the Broncos brought in from the Nebraska secondary as an undrafted free agent, so the scouting department likely paid close attention to that team in the draft process.
Newsome played in over 50 games for the Cornhuskers and made 34 starts across the last three seasons for them. But his ability to stick in the NFL is going to be shaky as he does have some limitations.
First INT of the season for @HuskerFootball's Quinton Newsome. 😤
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 7, 2023
📺: FS1/@CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/kGNQoGb35R
Though Newsome is a tough player and solid tackler, he doesn't have ideal speed and he's not known for making plays on the ball, as evidenced by the fact that he had just one interception during his college career. He is also not going to lock a guy down in pass coverage.
What he can do is some of the dirty work, which makes him ideal for special teams, at least to begin his career. But with only 53 roster spots available, do the Broncos have room for a guy like that?
Chances of making 53-man roster (1-10 scale): 1.5
The chances are going to be quite slim for Newsome. Though the Broncos are not deep at cornerback, they do have some strong pieces in Pat Surtain II and Ja'Quan McMillian. Wallace, Moss, and Abrams-Draine are going to make the team as well.
Damarri Mathis is a guy who could be left on the outside looking in at this position but even if the Broncos chose to cut ties with him, Newsome would still have to overcome a player like Art Green, an intriguing corner who was part of last year's undrafted class.
Tremon Smith, Tanner McCalister and Reese Taylor are also all part of the current roster. Newsome, who was never overly impressive in college, is just too far down the depth chart.
