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Jul 24, 2025; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron (12) during Denver Broncos Training Camp. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Broncos Explain the Reason for CB Jahdae Barron's Absence from Practice

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Chad Jensen | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 3:41 PM ET

Absent from Thursday's practice was Denver Broncos' rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron. The first-round pick out of Texas has been splitting time running with the Broncos' first-team defense.

Following practice, Broncos head coach Sean Payton addressed Barron's absence, revealing that he is dealing with a minor injury, and that he's expected to play in Saturday's preseason finale vs. the New Orleans Sai nts.

“He’s fine. We held him out, just soft tissue," Payton said of Barron. "He’s fine. We anticipate him playing.”

Barron has been solid if unspectacular in the Broncos' two preseason games thus far. However, where he's shined the most has been in his run support and physical brand of tackling.

Make no mistake; Barron can cover. There's a reason he's the reigning Jim Thorpe Award winner, the accolade handed out to the college football's top defensive back each year.

The Vision for Barron

The Broncos plan to play Barron at the nickel cornerback spot, even though the team has one of the NFL's bette r slot players in Ja'Quan McMillian. Exactly how that plum gets split remains to be seen, but McMillian has looked good this summer, picking off a pass in the Broncos' first preseason game.

That doesn't mean the Broncos plan to move Barron to a different position, although the team still believes he has inside/out versatility as a corner.

“Our vision, I think, with Jahdae is nickel with corner flex. So it’s pretty valuable if you can play outside, you can play inside," Payton said on Tuesday. "He’s very smart. As the game went on last week, he really got involved and made some really good plays. The vision for him is, he has that ability to play inside, but also flex outside. His size is plenty big enough, and his speed and physicality. Those are all things that help him at that position.”

Quick to Correct Mistakes

As defensive coordinator Vance Joseph explained on Wednesday, when it comes to the common mistakes that any rookie will make, the Broncos love Barron's propensity for quickly correcting them.

"He’s been doing a great job. He’s a rookie, so he’s getting a bunch of looks he hadn’t seen. He’s making a lot of mistakes, but he’s correcting them quickly," Joseph said of Barron. "Watching him play Saturday night, we saw the explosiveness, his strength at the point of attack. He can cover, he’s smart, and he can rush. Thus far, really good.”

Cornerback Strength

The Broncos have a stacked cornerback depth chart, with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year at the top. Behind the imperious Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos have young veterans Riley Moss and the aforementioned McMillian, Barron, and the second-year Kris Abrams-Draine, the last of whom has also had a very good summer.

Damarri Mathis is still hanging around, although he isn't expected to make the roster. No. 6 cornerbacks set to earn $3.5 million in salary typically don't stick beyond the summer. Unless they can trade him, the Broncos will likely waive Mathis by Tuesday's deadline to cut the roster down to the final 53 players and save every nickel of that salary on the cap.

The Takeaway

When training camp began, Barron's place as a starter between Surtain and Moss was talked about as if it was fait accompli. But McMillian has not gone quietly into that good night, and sharp and talented though he is, Barron hasn't been immune from the traditional rookie learning curve.