Riley Moss has emerged as one of the Broncos’ breakout players in training camp, and that development matters because Denver is trying to build what could be one of the NFL’s most complete secondaries.
The fourth-year cornerback has drawn notice as the Broncos work through camp with a group that already includes Pat Surtain II, Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Ja’Quan McMillian and Jahdae Barron. With that much talent on the back end, every strong performance helps reinforce the idea that Denver may be harder to attack than it was a year ago.
Livingston’s arrival has helped stabilize the room
A big part of the early camp story has been the addition of Robert Livingston, who joined Vance Joseph’s staff this offseason after spending the previous two years in Boulder as Deion Sanders’ defensive coordinator at the University of Colorado. Livingston replaced Jim Leonhard, who left the Broncos this offseason to become the Bills’ defensive coordinator.
Joseph said Livingston has been “so great for Riley (Moss) to calm him down some,” a sign that the new coach-player pairing has already made an impression. Joseph also praised Livingston’s football mind, saying his IQ is high and that he has added something to the defense. In Joseph’s view, Livingston has taken the Broncos’ system and put his own twist on it, making things look different without changing the core structure.
That matters because a secondary often plays best when the scheme and the communication are both clean. If Livingston can help the group stay calm and organized while also adding variety, Denver’s defensive backfield becomes more difficult for offenses to prepare for.
Why the Broncos can be tough to throw against
Joseph said Livingston has changed some things and made the Broncos look different, even though the base system remains the same. He described the result as something that makes it hard for offenses to attack, which is exactly the kind of compliment Denver wants to hear with the preseason underway.
The Broncos have already shown flashes of playmaking, too. In Denver’s preseason opener, Jahdae Barron returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown, a reminder that the team has multiple defensive backs capable of making a game-changing play.
For Moss, the opportunity is straightforward. He does not need to carry the secondary, but he does need to keep climbing in a room that is getting more competitive and more complete. If he keeps trending up, Denver’s depth on the back end could become one of the biggest reasons the defense is difficult to play against this season.
That is the larger takeaway from Moss’s camp surge. It is not just about one cornerback getting attention. It is about a defense that appears to have the personnel, coaching and confidence to match up with almost anyone.
