Ja’Quan McMillian had to wait his turn in 2023.

First, the Broncos nickel job belonged to K’Waun Williams. A camp injury cost him what at first looked like weeks and turned into the entire season.

Then it belonged to Essang Bassey. But poor performance in the early weeks of the season opened the door again.

Then McMillian burst through like the Kool-Aid Man, pint-sized rather than the full pitcher, but with the kind of energy and impact that helped jolt Denver’s defense out of the doldrums and into a playmaking group.

Now this summer McMillian’s roster spot is secure, and he’s being counted on to produce as a linchpin in Vance Joseph’s defense.

He’s not planning on any sort of regression.

“Just taking the next step,” he told The Denver Post of his plans for Year 2 as a starter. “Just doing whatever they need me to do. Whatever that is, I’m willing to do it. Just improve from last year. Not make the same mistakes I made last year, try to take that next step mentally and try to anticipate more based off what the offense is giving me and use that information that it gives me. Play the same way I played. The mentality is still the same.

“Play hard, play physical and play smart football. That’s what I go by.”

McMillian got thrust into playing time Week 4 against Chicago and played well almost immediately. He racked up seven tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries and seemed to make a big play every week of Denver’s five-game, turnover-fueled winning streak in the middle of the season.

It happened fast and McMillian kept up fine, but he felt he had some retroactive work to do after the season ended, too.

“That’s what it’s for. The offseason, you go and you take your little break, but what I did early on was just watch a lot of film,” he said. “I watched a lot of games that I played in last year. Just tried to see a lot of different things that I can improve on. Just take that next step mentally. It is easier. You have more time to do that. So any time I got bored at the house I’d pull out the iPad and start watching film.”

He saw a lot of production from himself. Three tackles for loss against Kansas City in Week 6, then two more TFLs and a pick two weeks later against the Chiefs. A forced fumble in that Week 10 Monday night win at Buffalo. Two more turnovers forced against Minnesota. A forced fumble and a sack against Houston. Two more TFLs and a sack against the Chargers.

That’s all well and good, but he got as much out of watching seemingly much more monotonous practice tape.

“In practice, you use all your tools and you try different things and you just get to work on it,” he said. “Practice film is just as important to watch as the game film because it’s where you try stuff. You might try something in practice that you can’t try in a game because you can’t give something up or take that risk.

“I’ve watched a lot of both, and both have done me good.”

He’s impressed the coaching staff thoroughly along the way.

“He is extremely smart,” head coach Sean Payton said. “I kind of felt like he’s one of those players that kind of took a step into his own last year, created a lot of turnovers. He has really good football instincts, and I think that is a trait that’s very important because there are a lot of adjustments that take place for that player when the motion goes or leaves. His fits in the run game are different than maybe the corners or even the safeties sometimes.

“So you’re looking for someone who has high football IQ and good (change of direction), someone that can tackle. And of course, you’re going to play man-to-man, so how does he hold up when he’s covering up in the slot? All of those things.”

McMillian did them all well in 2023 and is planning on being better across the board in 2024.

“I went into the offseason doing the same thing, with the same mentality. I just want to take the next step mentally,” he said. “Going into the playbook deeper and knowing the ins and outs of the defense. Obviously, I knew a little bit last year but I just wanted to go deeper into the playbook. Just get faster, bigger, stronger.”

Most TFLs by Broncos DB (single season)

Ja’Quan McMillian made an instant impact when he was inserted into the lineup last season, including a knack for racking up tackles for loss. Here’s a look at how his season stacks up to other Broncos defensive backs. Mobile users, tap here to see the chart.

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Originally Published: August 30, 2024 at 5:45 a.m.

Denver Broncos cornerback Damarri Mathis, who suffered an ankle injury in last week’s preseason finale, was placed on short-term injured reserve Tuesday, the team announced.

Mathis will first be eligible to return for Denver’s Oct. 6 home contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. He won’t count against the 53-man roster limit while on IR.

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A 2022 fourth-round pick, Mathis has appeared in 33 career games for the Broncos. The Pitt product lost his starting job to Fabian Moreau last season and entered this year competing with Levi Wallace, Riley Moss, and Kris Abrams-Draine for the coveted CB2 role opposite Pro Bowler Patrick Surtain II.

“Most of the battles that we have, it’s battles where you need both guys to play well for you. It’s battles where you need both guys to play in a package, like corner,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said on Aug. 22. “We need multiple corners, so it’s encouraging to watch all of the guys get better. Obviously during a game week, we have schemes, and we have package for all the guys to play. Most of those battles are ongoing past the weekend, and then we’ll decide who starts first, but that won’t matter at corner.”

With Mathis shelved, the Broncos chose to carry five corners on its initial active roster: Surtain, Wallace, Moss, Abrams-Draine, starting nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian, and special-teamer Tremon Smith.

The club also moved linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee) to the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin the 2024 campaign. Sanders and Turner-Yell will be permitted to play in Week 5 — same as Mathis — but are expected to remain sidelined for a longer duration.

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Bo-mania has sparked new life within the Broncos organization.

During a groundbreaking event for Denver’s renovation and expansion of team headquarters, team owner/CEO Greg Penner expressed his excitement for rookie Bo Nix taking over as the team’s starting quarterback.

“I’ve been impressed with his poise and maturity,” Penner said Thursday. “I think he’s got some incredible traits.”

When Nix, the 12th overall pick in last spring’s draft, was named starting quarterback last week, Penner said he had a “great” phone conversation with the 24-year-old.

Nix will be Denver’s 14th starting quarterback since Peyton Manning retired and the first rookie to start in a season opener since John Elway in 1983. The Oregon and Auburn product earned the job after completing 23 of 30 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in two preseason appearances. He rushed for 29 yards on six attempts with no sacks or turnovers.

“All rookies are going to go through some ups and downs in their first season,” Penner said. “I told him, ‘We’re going to support you.’ I’m excited to see what he can do on the field and the rest of this roster.”

The potential surrounding Nix and Denver’s young roster has inspired optimism throughout the organization. Penner said it’s too early to call the offseason a success, but he was impressed with the moves made by head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton during free agency and the draft.

Penner noticed a different kind of enthusiasm, passion and intensity from the team on the first day of organized team activities. The mentality carried over into training camp and preseason.

“It’s a young team, but I’ve got high expectations for what we can accomplish,” Penner said.

Payton has repeatedly referenced a new energy going into his second season as Broncos head coach. Part of that, according to Penner, is that he, Payton and Paton have developed a real sense of partnership, respect and communication.

“He’s had a chance to reshape the roster in a way that he’s excited about,” Penner said. “It’s been great to see his approach.”

After Broncos president Damani Leech fielded questions about the Broncos Park upgrades — set to be completed by June 2026 — he expressed his own eagerness for the Broncos’ season-opener at Seattle next week.

The Broncos finished the preseason 3-0 and recorded the second-most points in the league (99) behind Chicago (115). Leech understands it’s important to temper one’s enthusiasm for games that featured primarily reserve players, but the way Payton operated the offense has him encouraged.

“It is exciting to see what we’re seeing on the field,” Leech said.

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Originally Published: August 29, 2024 at 11:57 a.m.