Broncos Player Profile: Essang Bassey #34 | CB

The Denver Broncos have plenty of competition for the final spot or two in the cornerback room. Essang Bassey was a starter in 2020 but never took the field for Denver on defense. 

How much is Bassey in play for a backup slot corner position with the new coaching staff? Let's examine his resume to find the answer. 

Biography

Bassey will turn 24 on August 12. He was born in Columbus, Georgia. 

Bassey played wide receiver, running back, and kick returner in high school. Despite offers from other schools, he went to a football camp near Wake Forest and committed a few days later. 

College Career

While Bassey was a smaller corner, he was extremely productive in college. He only had five interceptions, but he broke up 36 total passes and allowed 10 touchdowns. 

Bassey was consistently around the football and played over 3,000 snaps on defense. However, his size was a concern, as it played a part in him missing 43 tackles, with 33 coming in his final two years. 

Draft

Some draft analysts thought Bassey would get drafted somewhere on Day 3, but he found himself not hearing his name called. Instead, the Broncos picked him up after the draft. 

Professional Career

Bassey found himself a starter on the Broncos' defense early in the 2020 season with injuries occurring. He played 382 snaps on defense his rookie year but missed time with injury before suffering a season-ending injury. 

It was an extremely rough showing from Bassey, who struggled to cover crossing routes or even quick slants. His collegiate ball production wasn't there, as he picked off one pass and allowed one touchdown. 

The issue was that QBs targeting Bassey was essentially a layup as he allowed 24-of-28 targets to get caught on 250 snaps in coverage. So teams knew they could target him and pick up some yards before he tore his ACL. 

Before the 2021 season, Bassey was placed on the PUP list, where he stayed until November 13, when Denver activated him. The Broncos waived him a little over a month later, and the Los Angeles Chargers picked him up. 

There Bassey played 11 snaps in one game, and on seven coverage snaps, he was targeted twice, allowing both to be caught for 50 yards. 

After the season, the Chargers waived him, only for the Broncos to claim him in January. 

2022 Outlook

The Broncos love their corners, and their top-five at the position are set. The question is whether Denver will keep the sixth corner or not. 

While Bassey has played in the slot, it hasn't been a good showing. However, he does have experience over the others in this competition. 

It wouldn't be surprising to see Denver move on from Bassey with what he has put on tape. The question is, if the Broncos keep six corners, who does the best job on special teams? 

Bassey has played a total of 97 snaps on special teams and didn't exactly do a good job. He has much to prove during training camp and the preseason if he wants to make the roster or stick around on the practice squad.