Denver Broncos named as a potential free agent landing spot for former Pro Bowl defender
Pro Football Focus thinks the Denver Broncos could be a potential landing spot for one of the top available free agent defensive backs this offseason. PFF named the Broncos this week as an ideal landing spot for safety Talanoa Hufanga. Hufanga, a fifth round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, has spent the first four […]
Pro Football Focus thinks the Denver Broncos could be a potential landing spot for one of the top available free agent defensive backs this offseason.
PFF named the Broncos this week as an ideal landing spot for safety Talanoa Hufanga.
Hufanga, a fifth round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, has spent the first four seasons of his career with the San Francisco 49ers.
The former USC standout was elected to the Pro Bowl and named First-Team All-Pro in 2022.
From PFF: After seeing limited run the past two seasons due to injury, Hufanga enters the open market mostly playing off the promise he showed in his full season of action back in 2022. That year, he clocked a 78.5 PFF coverage grade in closed coverages.
The Broncos possessed one of the strongest coverage units in the NFL this past season but had a clear weak link in P.J. Locke, whom the Bills exposed in the wild-card round. Hufanga projects as an upgrade over Locke in Denver’s single-high coverages, if the former can stay healthy.
Hufanga is an interesting player. He'd certainly be an upgrade in Denver's secondary, but he's only played one full season since entering the NFL in 2021.
There's no doubt that the former USC defensive back is a playmaker who can be one of the top safeties in the NFL, but his ability to stay healthy is a serious concern (Hufanga has missed 17 games over the last two seasons). I'm not sure it would be wise for Denver to give Hufanga a big contract given his injury concerns.
The Broncos have plenty of other needs to first need to address (adding a running back, addressing the front seven, and, in general, getting Bo Nix more playmakers).
Hufanga might be better suited to stick around in San Francisco, though the fact that he didn't sign an extension during the season certainly seems to suggest that he's eager to test the free agent market.
