What the Broncos’ addition of Taylor Rapp says about their safety depth

If the Broncos were completely pleased with the work of their reserve safeties, adding former Buffalo Bills starter Taylor Rapp wouldn’t have been necessary.

They gave the combination of Devon Key, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson and rookies Miles Scott and Parker Robertson the offseason and the entirety of training camp to show that they could fill the same role that P.J. Locke handled so well last year after Brandon Jones suffered a season-ending pectoral-muscle injury.

Among them, they have two career starts — both by Key in 2024. Against the Baltimore Ravens in 2024, Key filled in for P.J. Locke and was targeted three times, allowing a pair of catches for 69 yards and a touchdown on a day when Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson diced up the Denver secondary and finished with a perfect 158. Rating.. He fared much better substituting for Jones a fortnight later against Atlanta.

But last year, they had the luxury of Locke in reserve after signing Hufanga. And when Jones succumbed, that insurance policy proved priceless. The Broncos could have saved $4.19 million of salary-cap space had they moved on from Locke at last year’s roster deadline. Locke’s play down the stretch proved the value of hanging on to him — even though his return to form was no guarantee following neck surgery.

Locke did so well in his five games back in the starting lineup, the Dallas Cowboys signed him to be a starter this season.

And with Jones and Hufanga each having two injured-reserve stints to their name over the last four seasons, the Broncos couldn’t afford to be caught short at safety. The odds are excellent that safety No. 3 will need to start at some point this season.

Enter Rapp, who, like Locke 12 months ago, is coming off an injury — this one to his right knee, suffered six games into the regular season last year.

Rapp has 72 career starts to his name — 48 over four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and 26 — including the 2024 preseason — with the Bills. Buffalo released him in March, clearing $3.075 million of salary-cap space.

And if he’s healthy, he brings an aggressive mentality to the position group — along with a security blanket. Rapp’s experience should help Broncos coaches sleep a little better at night knowing that they have a trustworthy starter in reserve.

But it probably wouldn’t have been necessary to add Rapp had the Broncos found an answer from within. That’s what the last few months were about at the safety position.

There should be room for five safeties on the final 53-player roster; that’s how many they kept last year. Key, an All-Pro on special teams last season, is a lock. That would leave Anderson — a March free-agency pickup — battling for a final spot with Scott, Robertson and Skinner, who has appeared to struggle at times in training camp and as a four-year veteran, is in a now-or-never preseason.

BRONCOS HAVE VETERAN DEPTH AT ALMOST EVERY POSITION GROUP

Steadily, the Broncos have rebuilt the roster to the point where they can withstand one injury at almost every position group thanks to the quality and experience of the reserves they possess.

They have proven options at wide receiver; Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin and Lil’Jordan Humphrey are all listed on the second team. At offensive line, they were able to withstand two injuries last season to Ben Powers and Matt Peart and still insert a player who had previous starting experience.

On the defensive line, Malcolm Roach remains in his rotational role while Enyi Uwazurike has the inside track on the base-package snaps to replace John Franklin-Myers. At edge rusher, the team doesn’t have a reserve with starting experience, but Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman played 38 and 37 percent of the defensive snaps last year in the games they played; they have enough experience to do the job, with Que Robinson poised to back them up if needed for reasons of injury or a potential league suspension of Jonathon Cooper.

Even quarterback has Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger as options, although at the prominent position where there may not be 32 NFL-quality starters walking the earth at this moment, you have to accept a downgrade.

Safety and inside linebacker were the two spots the Broncos appeared to be caught a bit short. With Rapp, they have some assurance of quality in reserve.

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