Award-Winning Playmaker Lands on League-Wide Watchlist After Joining Broncos

The Denver Broncos had to work and wait, but they finally got award-winning defensive back and rookie first-round draft pick Jahdae Barron under contract. When they did, though, they locked in what could be their most “pivotal” rookie.

That is the label bestowed upon Barron by NFL.com’s Dan Parr, who selected one first-year player from each team as such.

Barron, the No. 20 overall pick of the class, brings versatility and more to the Broncos.

“It appears Barron is the Broncos rookie with the clearest path to a starter’s share of snaps,” Parr wrote on August 7. “We know he has the confidence of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who called him a ‘can’t-miss prospect’ last month. Barron gives Joseph a do-it-all piece in the secondary; the reigning Jim Thorpe Award winner can match up in the slot, play outside or mix it up inside the box.”

“The Broncos have their sights set on a playoff run after making it to the dance last season, and they’re banking on an elite defense paving the way,” Parr wrote. “Barron could be fundamental to that effort.”

The Broncos ranked third in scoring defense during the 2024 regular season. However, their seventh-ranked overall defense also ranked 19th against the pass.

Barron joins the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Surtain, in the Broncos’ secondary.

Jahdae Barron’s Rise Comes Amid Broncos Teammate’s Slide

Barron’s listing is not wholly surprising, he was the Broncos’ first-round pick, and players taken in that round made up 18 of Parr’s 32 listings. Still, he was not the Broncos’ most buzz-worthy rookie in the first month-plus after the draft.

That title largely belonged to rookie second-round pick (No. 60 overall) and running back RJ Harvey.

Parr noted Harvey’s circumstances have changed.

“While it’s still chugging along, the RJ Harvey hype train slowed at least a little with Denver’s signing of J.K. Dobbins in June,” Parr wrote. “There’s a crowd in the backfield to sort out with Audric Estimé, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie also competing for time.”

Badie is the latest of the Broncos’ backs to receive plaudits from head coach Sean Payton, who has lauded the entire room over the course of the offseason program and, now, training camp.

The Broncos’ initial unofficial depth chart listed Dobbins as the starter and Harvey as RB5.

Payton has downplayed the significance of that before, though. Payton’s rookies begin at the back of the Broncos’ depth chart (he did the same with Bo Nix in 2024), which is good news for Barron, who is listed behind Ja’Quan McMillian and Reese Taylor for the starting nickelback job.

Ja’Quan McMillian Not Ready to Give Up NB1 Job

There was some thought that Barron could challenge Riley Moss for the starting perimeter job opposite Surtain, but the 2023 third-round pick is having a strong camp.

Barron must usurp McMillian, at the very least, but the veteran is not ready to concede his role.

“It’s going good. I think he’s doing a great job, coming in and learning the defense. But I feel like the whole room is doing a good job. We all competing. We got a lot of depth, a lot of guy good guys in the room. So, I think that’s going good,” McMillan told reporters on August 4.

“I’m always competing. That’s every year with me. J-Mac going to be J-Mac. I’m the same guy I was back in 2022 when I first got here. I just come out here and compete each and every day and try to get better. And we, I think, we trying to do that as a group, and everybody’s getting better by it.”

In the end, the better of the two, Barron and McMillian, will be tasked with not being the weak link in the Broncos’ defense.