The Denver Broncos could be poised to make more roster moves with notable players as the 2025 NFL Offseason rolls on. Could this player be on the bubble? The Broncos have absolutely improved their roster from when the 2025 NFL Offseason began, and the hope here is that the moves they made put the team in the right direction.
Well, one of the more shocking things this team did in the offseason was using their first-round pick on Texas CB Jahdae Barron in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This was an unexpected move, and it even seems like the Broncos themselves did not think he would be there with the 20th overall pick.
This could put a player in the secondary on the roster bubble and is now a much more expendable player than he was before the draft.
Here is what Pro Football Network had to say about Ja'Quan McMillian being the most expendable player on the Broncos roster:
Pro Football Network"One of the more surprising but praised first-round picks was the Denver Broncos’ selection of Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron. Many expected the Broncos to pick an offensive skill position player with the 20th overall pick, but instead, they opted for one of the best and most versatile coverage corners in the class.
With Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss locks on the outside, Barron’s arrival would seemingly squeeze out slot cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. A former undrafted free agent, McMillian has developed into an effective and underrated slot corner. Last season, he held opponents to 6.8 yards per target and an 85.7 passer rating in coverage, recording 10 passes defended.
An exclusive rights restricted free agent, McMillian didn’t receive a multi-year extension from the Broncos this offseason, instead getting a one-year, $1.03 million tender. That’s peanuts for a starting-level slot corner and gives him more trade value than you might expect for a non-household name. With no clear role after Barron’s arrival, McMillian is a decent trade chip the Broncos could cash in for either 2026 picks or immediate help."
What will the Broncos do with Ja'Quan McMillian?
The answer might simply be to keep him on the roster and perhaps make a move with a different cornerback. The neat thing with Barron is that he can legitimately play inside, outside, and as a safety deeper in the secondary. Someone like Damarri Mathis might be the one who is on the roster bubble, but there also could be a respectable trade market for McMillian that we simply do not know about yet.
At the end of the day, while I was not a huge fan of the pick, it does make sense to build on a strength. Barron is also yet another young player in the secondary, so this unit could also be set up nicely for the long-term, but with the rookie now in the picture, someone on the backend could find themselves on the roster bubble.
Could it be Ja'Quan McMillian?
