Extending Ja’Quan McMillian should be a no-brainer for Denver Broncos

Jan 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'quan McMillian (29) runs for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

A great read over at The Denver Post on the Ja'Quan McMillian situation this offseason highlighted for me what should be a no-brainer' move for the Denver Broncos in the coming months: giving McMillian a long-term extension.

There are just measurables that you cannot quantify until you see a guy play in the NFL. McMillian isn't very tall (5'9"), isn't very fast (4.59 second 40-time), and seems like a guy who would get bullied by bigger receivers. Instead, he has the unquantifiable intangibles that people underrate too often. He has great instincts and his agility is higher on the charts with a 6.76 second 3-cone drill and a 36.5-inch vertical during his pro day in 2022.

He didn't see much action through his first season, but began to gain a lot more playing time from 2023 on. In those three seasons, he has 7 total interceptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He also has forced five fumbles. Add that with 195 total tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks, and you have a pretty damn good starting cornerback.

He's a proven guy, he's come in and he's battled through," Deryk Gilmore, McMillian's agent, said to The Denver Post. They've drafted people over him and he's never complained. He's embraced the challenge and risen. ... He loves it there. It's a great fit. It's all stuff that we all know."

Gilmore here is absolutely correct on all points. There is just no reason not to keep a ball-hawking corner like McMillian in Denver long-term.

Of the two corners the team needs to make a decision on, I would grade McMillian's value well above Riley Moss. Add in the fact that they have first-round pick Jahdae Barron waiting in the wings, I think Moss is a guy they should move and slide Barron outside. Barron can play both inside and outside, so why not keep an already outstanding slot corner in McMillian and move Barron opposite of Pat Surtain? That's how I see it, anyway.

In a perfect world, they keep everyone. Because who wouldn't love to have the kind of depth the Broncos had at cornerback last season? It just rarely works out that way. There is just too much value in other areas to not move one of these guys.

What does the rest of Broncos Country think? I guess at the end of the day this is all a good problem to have.