Riley Moss Shares 'Smart' Impression of Broncos' Rookie CB Jahdae Barron

Embracing the challenges at Denver Broncos training camp is something third-year cornerback Riley Moss is becoming pretty accustomed to. Because the Broncos spent a first-round pick on Texas cornerback Jahdee Barron, the level of competition at the position has become a lot more intense. 

Iron sharpens iron, after all. Moss is convinced that having plenty of depth at corner can only benefit the Broncos. 

"It's good to have depth, especially at that position, and it's making us better," Moss said after Day 5's practice. "Having someone behind you and learning from them and being able to teach them things as well, I think, is beneficial for everyone, from the last guy in the room to [CB] Pat Surtain II." 

Even though Moss had a second-year breakout starting opposite Surtain, the former Iowa Hawkeye standout is again trying to separate himself from the pack. Moss won the starting job out of training camp last year, and would start 14 games, totaling 86 tackles (third on the team), an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and eight pass break-ups.

Fast forward to 2025, and getting physically stronger became a focus for Moss during the offseason, and adding six to seven pounds of muscle figures to help the 25-year-old in man-to-man coverage.

"I think the point of attack when the ball's up in the air," Moss said of how he wanted to improve in Year 3. "Some of those 50/50 balls being stronger, not getting pushed off. That was a big thing for me this offseason, was getting bigger, getting stronger, being able to push against the receiver and be a little bit more physical." 

Spending extra time in the gym has had positive results for Moss, but the mindset required to successfully maintain his crucial role as a starter in Vance Joseph's defense has to be dialed in. Putting team goals ahead of any potential grievance about his job being threatened is where Moss' mindset is.

Regressing into a year-three funk as a result of the Barron pick has been summarily dismissed by Moss. Instead, Moss is embracing what the talented rookie can bring to the table for this talented defense. 

"He's smart. He comes into the training room in terms of recovery stuff. He knows what to do," Moss said of Barron. "He's gotten a routine, which is kind of the biggest learning curve, obviously, when you come into the NFL, is you have so much time. How are you going to spend that time? And he's spent that time well, I think, rehabbing and stuff like that, and also just picking up the defense. I think he's smart and he understands where his help is at, and that's nice too. Having him out there, you can trust him, and it helps all of us."

Given the trio of elite quarterbacks the Broncos face in the AFC West, Moss and Barron are going to have to work together rather than in direct opposition to each other. After all, whoever pulls the starting assignment on the other side of Surtain is always guaranteed to "get a lot of business," to quote head coach Sean Payton.

“He had a good season last year," Payton said on Saturday. "Look, he’s sticky. Obviously, he’s going to get a lot of traffic and a lot of balls thrown his way. I like his length and his ability to mirror and shadow. He’s a good tackler and he does a lot of things well. He’s come back in really good shape, and I think we saw it in training camp last year.”

Moss now has plenty of experience when being put under pressure on a weekly basis, and he knows that kind of war of attrition is just part and parcel of being the starting cornerback in Denver on the same defense as Surtain.

"As long as I'm across from DPOY, it's going to be like that, and I love the challenge," Moss said. "It makes it fun. It makes it fun to come into work knowing it's on me. I'm going to be on an island, and what can I do? That's what I think makes this game so beautiful and why I love the position that I'm in."