Rewind to the 2025 NFL Draft. Denver Broncos fans thought they had a downright steal when they selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the 20th overall pick. In their defense, they weren't the only ones pounding the drum about the Barron selection, as NFL talking heads also loved the pick.
Fast forward to present day and it's become glaringly obvious that the pick wasn't as sexy as Broncos fans might have thought it was. Last year, as a rookie, Barron only started five games and finished the year with a disappointing PFF grade of 51.5.
Some might say, 'Well sure, he's a rookie in a complex defense' but things haven't looked up much for Barron in Year 2. He's played just six snaps through two games and there's a limit on where he can be plugged in at.
As Sayre Bedinger of Predominantly Orange, FanSided's Broncos site, pointed out, the leash for Barron might be running out.
"Through two games, Barron has played a total of six defensive snaps. He's only played 18 special teams snaps in two games (35 percent), meaning his role is virtually non-existent. For a first-round pick that is not a quarterback, this is simply inexcusable roster malpractice, and the Broncos seem to realize the error of their ways," Bedinger wrote. "The Broncos don't currently have a place for Jahdae Barron in their defense. But wait, it gets worse. Not only do the Broncos not have a place for Barron in their starting defense right now with Pat Surtain, Riley Moss, and Ja'Quan McMillian at the cornerback positions, but his future is apparently limited to just the slot."
It sure sounds like Broncos fans regret drafting Jahdae Barron
Yeesh. That is a tough situation to be in when it comes to a player a team spent a first-round pick on.
When the Broncos made that pick, everyone figured that Barron was going to be just another piece for Vance Joseph to scheme for in his ferocious defense. That has not proven to be the case, however.
Plus, as Bedinger mentioned, the Broncos could have spent that pick on other more pressing needs. Of course, this is excellent news for the Chiefs. It was looking like Denver was starting to figure things out and put together solid drafts to continue building for their future but this pick will set them back a bit, especially since they also didn't have a first-round pick this year due to the Jaylen Waddle trade.
As Chiefs fans know, when you miss on first-round picks, it can really hurt the team. The Broncos making a bad decision with Barron, who has participated in six lonely snaps this year, not only gives them a player on their team that isn't contributing, but it prevented them from adding other talented defensive players, such as Carson Schwesinger or Nick Emmanwori, both of whom would be terrifying in that vaunted Denver defense.
The Broncos thought they hit the jackpot when Barron fell to them at pick No. 20 in 2025 but, as we see now, that's why we wait to actually see guys play before we anoint them as the next great player at their position. Denver whiffing on this pick is absolute music to Chiefs Kingdom's ears. Here's to hoping that trend continues for years to come.
Add us as a preferred source on Google