Broncos emerging star listed as trade candidate, which would be a shame

The Denver Broncos turned many heads when they used their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on cornerback Jahdae Barron. 

Cornerback wasn't a need for the team so there were a lot of weird faces and confused looks when the pick was made. But when you break it down and realize that the Broncos now have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Pat Surtain II and last year's Jim Thorpe winner on the same defense, the pick starts to look really good. 

But one of the first questions that came from that pick was, what does it do for Ja'Quan McMillian?

McMillian has gone from undrafted unknown to a key cog of the team's defense in just three seasons. He has become one of the more effective slot corners in the entire league and his pick six against the Cleveland Browns last season sealed a victory in a wild Monday night game. 

But it's clear he will take a back seat now that Barron is on the roster and Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network sees him as possibly being traded by the team. 

"One of the more surprising but praised first-round picks was the Denver Broncos’ selection of Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron. Many expected the Broncos to pick an offensive skill position player with the 20th overall pick, but instead, they opted for one of the best and most versatile coverage corners in the class.

With Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss locks on the outside, Barron’s arrival would seemingly squeeze out slot cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. A former undrafted free agent, McMillian has developed into an effective and underrated slot corner. Last season, he held opponents to 6.8 yards per target and an 85.7 passer rating in coverage, recording 10 passes defended.

An exclusive rights restricted free agent, McMillian didn’t receive a multi-year extension from the Broncos this offseason, instead getting a one-year, $1.03 million tender. That’s peanuts for a starting-level slot corner and gives him more trade value than you might expect for a non-household name. With no clear role after Barron’s arrival, McMillian is a decent trade chip the Broncos could cash in for either 2026 picks or immediate help", wrote Xie. 

In other words, McMillian is expendable. He would probably like to continue his career in a place where he could see the equivalent of the 75.3 percent of defensive snaps he saw in Denver last season, if not more. But it would be nice if the Broncos can keep him in the fold, finding a package of plays on defense to keep him out on the field at times while also being ready to slide into the lineup in case of injury. 

McMillian has developed as well as any undrafted player in recent memory for the Broncos and though getting a draft pick or player for a player that was undrafted would have to be considered a victory, it would still be tough to part ways with a prospect such as McMillian, who will be just 25 years old when the season begins. 

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