As the Denver Broncos’ training camp reached its fifth day in Englewood, third-year cornerback Riley Moss prepared to shoulder significant responsibilities for the upcoming season. Tasked with defending the cornerback position opposite reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II, Moss committed to arriving at camp stronger and more prepared after finishing last season around 194 pounds and entering camp this year at 200 pounds.
Moss emphasized his offseason goal of improving physicality and winning contested plays, especially when the ball is in the air. He highlighted the importance of being able to hold his ground and compete on “50-50 balls” against receivers. Gaining strength to resist being pushed off and fight through contact has been a crucial focus for him.
I’ve put on some good muscle,
Moss said after Day 5 of Broncos camp.
I only put on .4 percent body fat, so it was good.
—Riley Moss, Broncos Cornerback
Identifying the cornerback spot across from Surtain as one of the toughest challenges, Moss expressed enthusiasm for the task, recognizing it as a driving factor in his development and motivation.
As long as I’m across from DPOY, it’s going to be like that, and I love the challenge — it makes it fun,
Moss shared.
It makes it fun coming 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.
—Riley Moss, Broncos Cornerback
Learning from Pat Surtain II Sharpens Moss’s Technique
Beyond the physical challenge, Moss credits Surtain for mentoring him in the subtleties of cornerback play, from maintaining a strong position at the line of scrimmage to exercising patience when covering receivers.
When I got here, I learned a lot from Pat in terms of staying square at the line, being physical at the line, being patient and I’ve grown a lot in that aspect,
Moss acknowledged.
The biggest thing is just patience and trusting my speed.
—Riley Moss, Broncos Cornerback
Marvin Mims Jr. Optimistic About Broncos’ Receiving Depth
On offense, third-year wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. is building confidence as the receiver group demonstrates continuity and promise heading into the season. Reflecting on the previous year’s varied offensive looks, Mims believes the experience has created a strong foundation for future success.
I feel like last year we were throwing a lot of different looks at defenses we were playing,
Mims explained.
I feel like it helped the offense a lot. I think it’s [repeatable], and then you add [RB] RJ Harvey, [TE] Evan Engram to the mix too. There are all types of formations and stuff we can go into with the new players and the strengths we have as a team.
—Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos Wide Receiver
Mims is eager to build on a strong finish from last season and praised the overall cohesion and depth among the Broncos’ receivers. He pointed out that facing a defense as formidable as Denver’s own during practice is a key factor in preparing the offense.
You look at all of the guys in our room and how we have been playing at camp, for the most part everyone has looked good — there’s not many negatives to say,
Mims observed.
We are going against our defense, who’s probably going to be the best defense going into the season, and it’s huge for us. Just the depth of our receiver room is something that isn’t talked about enough, and I think it’s a really strong thing for us going into the season.
—Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos Wide Receiver
Internal Competition Strengthens Broncos on Both Sides
As training camp progresses, the interplay between the offense and defense is creating a competitive environment that fuels improvement across the roster. This internal rivalry is expected to sharpen players’ performances and contribute to the Broncos’ success as they approach the regular season.
With Riley Moss embracing the demands of guarding a top-tier opponent like Pat Surtain II and Marvin Mims Jr. expressing faith in his unit’s depth, the Broncos appear poised to enter the season with solid foundations on both sides of the ball.