ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Perhaps, Vic Fangio got tired of getting asked about who would become his No. 3 cornerback and not knowing the answer.
Isaac Yiadom? De’Vante Bausby? Davontae Harris?
It may well be none of the above.
Fangio, the Broncos’ head coach, proactively chose another option by inserting undrafted rookie Essang Bassey into the nickel spot Wednesday while moving Bryce Callahan to the outside corner position in the team’s No. 1 nickel defense.
Fangio said he came up with the idea Tuesday night and didn’t tell Bassey until just prior to practice Wednesday.
“Just to give him a chance to work with the 1s (nickel defense), let him feel it, let the other players feel him in there,’’ Fangio said. “Just wanted to see how it would go … I thought he did pretty damn good.”
This may have gone somewhat according to pre-camp plan with one twist – initially there had been thought third-round draft pick Michael Ojemudia would eventually emerge as the No. 3 corner. Ojemudia, though, suffered a strained quad nine days ago and didn’t return to practice until Wednesday.
That prolonged absence figures to make Ojemudia questionable to play in the season opener September 14 against Tennessee.
Bassey, who is from Wake Forest, received a $20,000 signing bonus from the Broncos after the draft was concluded on April 25. It was the second-richest signing bonus within the team’s 7 member undrafted rookie class, trailing only running back LeVante Bellamy, who got a $25,000 bonus, plus another $35,000 in guaranteed salary.
Malik Reed was the Broncos’ undrafted rookie to make the 53-man roster last year and it was running back Phillip Lindsay two years ago.
Walker or Covington?
One of the top remaining roster spot competitions is for the No. 5 defensive lineman, where Christian Covington and DeMarcus Walker seem to be in a serious battle.
The top four defensive line spots belong to Jurrell Casey, Mike Purcell, Shelby Harris and Dre’Mont Jones. The No. 6 D-line spot goes to McTelvin Agim, a third-round rookie from Arkansas.
The No. 5 spot – a gameday rotational position – will go to either the veteran Covington, a run-stuffer type who has $625,000 guaranteed coming his way whether he makes it or not, or the second-round Walker, an inside pass-rushing type with zero guaranteed dollars.
While the guarantee says Covington is the favorite, the Broncos have put play ahead of pay before. In 2010, the Broncos cut defensive lineman Jarvis Green before he played a down even though he received $3.225 million in guarantees. In 2012, the Broncos gave cornerback Drayton Florence a $1.5 million signing bonus, but cut him before he played a down as he was beat out at nickelback by a second-year player, someone named Chris Harris Jr.
Bronco Bits
- Von Miller got a rest day from practice Wednesday.
- Right guard Graham Glasgow (sprained ankle) and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (left knee) again sat out practice Wednesday. They are expected to return to practice next week in preparation for the Broncos’ season opener Monday, September 14 against Tennessee before a fan-less Empower Field at Mile High.
- Fangio will have his second stadium practice, this one at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Roster cuts from 80 players to 53 will commence the next morning.
- Second-year safety Alijah Holder and second-year receiver Juwann Winfree returned to practice Wednesday.
Broncos podcast: Klis' Mike Drop
Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis.
HOW TO LISTEN
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Sports