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The Denver Broncos received cornerback De’Vante Bausby on Tuesday after the Arizona Cardinals cut him. The news was first broken through 9 NEWS‘Mike Klis.
The team has since confirmed the move.
The return of “ The Baus ” comes at an opportune time as the Broncos corner room is seriously depleted of all veteran talent. While head coach Vic Fangio has expressed optimism that starters Bryce Callahan and AJ Bouye will return this week to play against the Las Vegas Raiders, both veteran corners have a history of checkered injuries.
The Broncos were without their first two turns in the 34-27 Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Matt Ryan, being the savvy vet he is, made them pay for it. Ryan relentlessly targeted both turns for Denver rookies – Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey – but the worst-off player on the losing stick was Davontae Harris.
Harris was atrocious in Atlanta, but that shouldn’t have been a surprise. It was his first meaningful action of 2020. Harris gave up several big plays in cover, including a deep touchdown and another 402-yard completion for Olamide Zaccheaus, who made the Falcons forget completely the absence of Calvin Ridley.
It was bad. And when I say bad, I mean horribly embarrassing.
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Ojemudia had his “ welcome to the NFL ” moment as a rookie, as the great Julio Jones broke his ankles figuratively on a post-corner route for six. Bassey, playing the nickel, gave up a few receptions, but mostly held on and provided excellent support to the Broncos defense.
But Denver was running out of money for the veteran at the corner of Week 9. Having Bausby would have dampened that exposure considerably.
After going back and forth from the Broncos’ practice squad to the active roster on several occasions, Bausby was released the day before the team’s Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. A few days later, the Arizona Cardinals blew him up.
Bausby appeared in the Cardinals’ Week 9 loss to Miami, seeing 16 shots in defense. The next day, Arizona gave it up.
The Broncos took the opportunity to bring Bausby back into the fold, perhaps a little traumatized (and wiser) in the wake of Atlanta’s clumsiness. Bausby is a Fifth-year player who has played 20 career games (3 starts) with Arizona (2020), Denver (2019-20), Philadelphia (2018) and Chicago (2016).
In five games played this season with the Broncos (4) and Cardinals (1), Bausby has six solo tackles and three defensive passes. Those three breakouts came in the Broncos’ Week 4 win over the New York Jets.
Bausby joined Denver last season and performed well in his opportunities in Weeks 3 and 4 before suffering a frightening whiplash (neck) sprain in Week 5 that caused him to lose sensation in his extremities for 30 minutes. . He spent the rest of the year in the reserve injured.
The hope was that he would likely start the 2020 campaign as a No.3 corner on the depth chart, allowing Callahan to play nickel and Bouye to be No.1. But he didn’t. part of the active roster outside the camp. .
Ojemudia, the team’s 2020 third-round pick, eclipsed him during training camp, and the Broncos for some inexplicable reason (from the outside looking in) prioritized those from Harris, as well as Bassey (an undrafted rookie) and Duke. Dawson. Although I can’t say for sure, I guess Vic Fangio and his company are lamenting their handling of Bausby this season.
Ultimately, when Bausby was on the pitch as Bronco, he played well. He fits in nicely with Fangio’s area-centric cover programs, where he can use his excellent instinct to read the QB and break the ball to affect play.
What Bausby might miss as a tackler, according to this writer’s humble estimate, he makes up for with cover and his skills as a ball peddler. For now, the Broncos can thank their lucky stars that the football gods have put Bausby within the grasp of the team.
In a matching move, the Broncos placed tight end Albert Okwuegbunam on the injured reserve. The rookie tight end suffered an ACL tear in the Week 9 loss.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
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