Riley Moss’ night started fast and ended just as quickly on Friday.
The Broncos’ starting cornerback nearly intercepted Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love on the first play of a preseason game Friday night.
After the second play, though, Moss exited the game with his hands on his ribs and went to the blue medical tent. Not long after, he was taken back to the Denver locker room with a rib injury. He never re-entered the game with the Broncos’ starters on defense.
Most of the rest of Denver’s starting group got two series of work against the Packers.
Moss, 26, is having a terrific training camp and preseason for the Broncos. He has made plays on a daily basis in practice and logged an interception in Denver’s preseason opener last week at Atlanta.
The former University of Iowa standout is in line to start opposite Pat Surtain II for a third straight season this fall and could play his way into a lucrative contract if he continues to make the kind of progress he’s looked capable of this summer.
“I’ve just seen him playing lights out, honestly,” Surtain said earlier this week. “When the ball is in the air, he’s winning those contested catches and coming down either with a pick or deflection. Thatap big-time with him. We all know what type of player Riley is and he’s excelling big time.
“He’s having a great camp so far.”
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph wants Moss to play with better technique and less with his hands, and so far this summer he’s shown the ability to do so.
“His downfall last year was just playing clean and not getting penalties. Watching him now, he’s been calm. He’s seeing splits. He’s playing square with intermediate routes. When the ball goes vertical, he’s not fouling. He’s following the football. That’s the progression for most young corners. …
“He’s on track to have a great year.”
When Moss exited the game, second-year man Jahdae Barron took his spot on the perimeter. Barron has played outside, nickel and dime so far in training camp for Joseph. That could be a matter of how Denver had snap counts mapped out for this game, but it’s a notable development as Barron, the 2025 first-round draft pick, is likely battling Kris Abrams-Draine as the No. 3 outside corner behind Surtain and Moss.
