ECU football alum Ja’Quan McMillian will be the first to recognize he’s got a tough task ahead of him.
The Denver Broncos’ cornerback went from an undrafted signee and on the practice squad in 2022 to being a starter last season in nine of 17 games. He even had a memorable interception of a Jameis Winston pass for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns.
He finished 2024 with 81 tackles, 61 solo, four tackles for a loss, a sack, two quarterback hits, a forced fumble, 10 pass deflections and two interceptions.
Now, the question is whether he’ll have a job at all with the Broncos this season. Will he get cut? Will he get traded? Pat Surtain is cemented at one spot and there are many others going for the other spot, such as Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine, Damarri Mathis, Reese Taylor, Mario Goodrich, Quinton Newsome, Jaden Robinson and Joshua Pickett, according to USA Today’s Broncos Wire.
“Of course, you take it as a challenge, but this is what we’re here for,” McMillian told The Denver Post after Denver’s first open practice of training camp. “It makes me better, it makes him better. We learn from each other. I’ve tried to teach him the ropes and some things that he knows that maybe I don’t, I try to learn from him.
“It’s part of the game and I’m bringing him in like he’s one of the guys I’ve been playing with. We’re going to keep getting better and keep learning with each other and hopefully we keep this thing rolling and win some games together.”
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