Why Riley Moss is ready to make his starting debut with the Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Riley Moss is ready.

The second-year cornerback will notch his first start as a Denver Bronco on Sunday, when the team travels to Seattle for the 2024 season-opener against the Seahawks.

“I heard it’s pretty loud up there,” Moss said. “We’ll see. I played in Happy Valley at Penn State, so we’ll see.”

The Seahawk offense will provide the former third-round pick with a challenge.

While the particulars regarding the Seahawk scheme are still unknown, new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will probably attack the deep parts of the field. That’s exactly what he did on the other side of town with Michael Penix Jr. as the offensive coordinator at Washington the past two years.

“We’re gonna get some shots to make some plays,” Moss said. “We’re ready for it.”

Geno Smith, one of the NFL’s better deep-ball throwers, will play the role of Penix. He’ll be helped out by three exctiting receivers.

Tyler Lockett, 31, has averaged more than 1,000 receiving yards per season over the past six years.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 22, was a first-round pick in 2023 and flashed his potential as a rookie on his way to 638 yards.

The leader of the group is DK Metcalf. The 6-foot-4, 236-pound monster is coming off his second Pro Bowl. He’s picked up at least 900 yards in each of his six NFL seasons.

“He’s explosive. He’s a bigger guy and can run,” Moss said. “He’s got all the attributes of a great X receiver.”

Seattle isn’t the best passing attack in the NFL. But the Seahawks built a unique group that will test the Broncos’ youthful secondary out of the gate. A few hiccups would set the wrong tone for the fresh season.

“I think the biggest thing that we have to do is eliminate the big plays,” Moss said. “I think when we start there, there’s a lot of opportunity. You eliminate the big plays and it changes up the whole game plan… hopefully we’ll be able to make some plays on the ball.”

Moss figures to be tested often. He’s a rookie. He’s playing across from Pat Surtain II. He’s the only white cornerback starting in the NFL this week and the only white cornerback to start in quite awhile.

Moss is ready for the test.

In his first start as a freshman at Iowa, the Minnesota Golden Gophers thew three deep balls at Moss on the first drive. By the end of the game, Moss had a pair of interceptions.

“You know it’s going to happen,” Moss said. “I hope it’s going to happen, and I’m ready to make a play.”

The Iowa Hawkeyes run a unique defense. It’s a spot-drop zone scheme that has hardly changed in the past decade-and-a-half. The Hawkeyes rarely play man-to-man defense.

In the final three years of Moss’ career at Iowa, he played zone coverage more than 83% of the time he was on the field, according to PFF’s tracking.

Moss showed off his instincts in zone coverage during training camp. He looks like a veteran. He knows how to bait throws.

But his area of focus over the past year has been becoming stickier when lined up one-on-one with a receiver.

“Playing man, I’ve grown a lot for sure,” Moss said. “My man coverage for sure, press coverage, staying more patient.”

Moss’s first big test in the NFL will come against capable, experienced opponents in front of a raucous crowd. Luckily, his parents will provide a couple of friendly faces in the crowd.

“They’ve never missed a start and they’re not starting now.”

Alex Singleton is tackling for charity

Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton is once again working with Special Olympics Colorado.

Singleton’s “Tackling Inclusion” campaign asks donors to pledge a dollar amount per tackle he makes this season. For example, a $1 pledge would result in a $150 donation if Singleton has 150 tackles this season.

“We’ve gotta get everybody,” Singleton said.

This is the fifth season Singleton has hosted the campaign, including three seasons in Denver. The most money he raised was about $13,000 when he was a Philadelphia Eagle. Broncos fans reached just under $10,000 last year.

“We need Denver people to step up,” Singleton said. “Be huge.”

Singleton has led the Broncos in tackles in each of his two seasons on the team. He posted 163 in 2022. He had 177 in 2023, which ranked third in the NFL.

“I’d rather have wins than go for tackles,” Singleton said.

But he does have a minor goal.

“I think every year to lead the team I guess.”

The Broncos tweaked their defensive approach this offseason, which could alter his ability to continue his gaudy numbers.

“A lot of guys here think it will take away from me getting more [tackles], but I think it’ll be advantageous,” Singleton said.

The Broncos are playing a more “attacking” front. Instead of linemen engaging with blockers, reading the play and then reacting, their job is to burst into the backfield and create chaos.

Only three NFL players have had 200-tackle seasons since tackles became an official stat in the mid-’80s. Nobody has hit 200 tackles in the past 25 years.

Singleton thinks 200 tackles is still possible in the modern NFL. He admitted that if he hadn’t missed any tackles last year—an unrealistic expectation—he would have pushed that mark.

And if Singleton pushes that mark in 2024, he’ll raise some big bucks for Special Olympics athletes like his big sister Ashley.

“If we get a good amount of money, it might be a double down on me,” Singleton said.

You can donate by clicking here.

Injury Report

The Broncos and Seahawks released an updated injury report ahead of their game on Sunday. Once again, the Broncos didn’t list a single player on the report.

Here’s the Thursday edition of the Week 1 injury report:

Broncos Injury Report

Player	Pos.	Injury	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Status
—	—	—	—	—

Seahawks Injury Report

Player	Pos.	Injury	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Status
Pharaoh Brown	TE	Foot	DNP	DNP
Uchenna Nwosu	LB	Knee	DNP	DNP
Noah Fant	TE	Toe	Limited	Limited
Tyler Lockett	WR	Thigh	Limited	Limited
Rayshawn Jenkins	S	Calf	Limited	Limited
Dre’Mont Jones	LB	Hamstring	Limited	Limited

BOLD – Indicates change in status; NIR­- Indicates not injury related; *– Team did not practice / report is an estimation;

STATUS DEFINITIONS: Did not participate (DNP); Limited: means less than 100 percent of a player’s normal repetitions; Full—100 percent of player’s normal repetitions; Out: will not play; Doubtful: Unlikely to play; Questionable: Uncertain to play

Notes

• Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph shared his expectations for new safety Brandon Jones, who missed the preseason with a hamstring injury: “He’s a player with great range. He’s a good blitzer. He has great range to keep the big plays to a minimum. He’s super smart. He hasn’t played much, so obviously it won’t be perfect because he hasn’t played actual football, and tackled and all of those things, but his experience and his skill set should show.”

• DNVR will be live on YouTube with Super Bowl 50 champion Todd Davis for 30 minutes leading up to kickoff between the Broncos and Seahawks and for an hour after the final whistle on Sunday.