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Denver Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron.
If you’re giving an MVP award to the Denver Broncos 2025 draft class, it’s an easy choice: Rookie running back and 2nd round pick RJ Harvey.
Runner-up would be either wide receiver and 3rd round pick Pat Bryant or punter and 6th round pick Jeremy Crawshaw.
That leaves 1st round pick Jahdae Barron, who came in with lofty expectations but did little to distinguish himself throughout the season at slot cornerback playing behind Ja’Quan McMillian.
The Broncos do not see Barron’s rookie season through that same lens.
General manager George Paton was quick to come to his rookie’s defense following the end of the season, with Barron saying he needed to be “levelheaded” moving forward.
Almost every 2025 mock draft had Denver addressing pressing needs on the offensive side of the ball in the 1st round — what they seemed to address with the Harvey and Bryant picks. By that logic, Barron was actually a surprise pick by the Broncos at No. 20 overall.
“You can see all the traits (with Barron),” Paton told ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “He was good for us, but probably not so good for him — he was drafted into maybe the deepest cornerback room in the league and he made his mark. He’s just going to keep growing and keep getting better.”
McMillian wasn’t the only 1 Barron found himself looking up at on the depth chart — the outside cornerbacks were locked down by 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss.
Barron Called ‘Biggest Weakness’ on Defense
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz singled Barron out as Denver’s “Biggest Weakness” headed into the postseason, and specifically in regard to how Barron has struggled in his role covering slot wide receivers.
The Broncos, the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs, lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
“Denver has one of the NFL’s best defenses this season, led by a vicious pass rush that leads the league in sacks (64),” Schatz wrote on December 31. “However, if opponents can get a pass off, they can take advantage of the Broncos’ slot cornerbacks, Ja’Quan McMillian and Jahdae Barron. Denver ranks only 27th in DVOA against passes to slot receivers, allowing 7.6 yards per attempt. The good news for the Broncos is that only two AFC playoff teams rank in the top 10 in the number of pass attempts to slot receivers this season: the Chargers and themselves.”
Barron Dragged Feet Signing Contract
If we are looking for root causes to Barron’s rookie struggles, it’s fair to start with his fully guaranteed 4-year, $18.2 million contract, which included a $9.8 million signing bonus.
It’s worth pointing out Barron’s contract because he dragged his feet in signing it.
The Broncos drafted Barron on April 24 and he didn’t sign his contract until July 16 — the 31st out of 32 1st round picks to sign. Which means it was a distraction at some point.
From ESPN: “Barron, selected at No. 20 by the Broncos, agreed to a four-year deal worth just over $18 million that included a signing bonus of $9.8 million, sources confirmed to ESPN. The Broncos privately had little concern about Barron’s deal getting done as the two sides had spent time in negotiations over the payment schedule of his signing bonus.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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