The Denver Broncos added some much-needed depth at cornerback on Tuesday by promoting defensive back Duke Dawson from the reserve/physically unable to return list to the active roster.
Denver had room for Dawson on the 53-man roster after placing quarterback Drew Lock on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Dawson’s return comes at a good time for the Broncos because the team just lost slot cornerback Bryce Callahan to injured reserve last week. Dawson has 26 games of experience, with most of his playing time in the slot.
Denver was in a pinch last week, so outside cornerback Kyle Fuller filled in the slot. Fuller played surprisingly well, so he will probably hold on to that job, at least for the time being. Here’s an estimated updated cornerback depth chart for the Broncos entering Week 10.
| CB | Slot | CB |
| Ronald Darby | Kyle Fuller | Pat Surtain* |
| Nate Hairston | Duke Dawson | [Michael Ojemudia] |
| Mike Ford | [Essang Bassey] |
*Surtain has an ankle injury and it remains to be seen if he will miss any time. Ojemudia (injured reserve) and Bassey (physically unable to perform list) are not currently on the 53-man roster, but they should be getting close to returning to the active roster.
Ideally, Denver will play Ford and Hairston primarily on special teams, but injuries have forced them to step up on defense in recent weeks. The return of Dawson will give the team more depth and flexibility at the position.
