ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Isaac Yiadom seemed to have all the tangibles to become a starting NFL cornerback.
He was long and strong at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds. He was smart and productive as a two-year starter from Boston College. Yiadom wasn’t a jet, but his 4.52-second 40 was fast enough.
He was on the 2018 Senior Bowl team coached by Vance Joseph and Joe Woods and they were impressed with his mental toughness.
Yiadom was also a tireless worker and he wasn’t without opportunities to shine.
So why did the third-round pick give up so many big plays?
In a trade that may have best for all parties involved – including Yiadom – the Broncos sent their young cornerback to the New York Giants on Wednesday in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick.
Yiadom was the Broncos’ season-opening starter at cornerback against the Raiders last year, opposite Chris Harris Jr. New head coach Vic Fangio and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell gave Yiadom a chance, but by game 3 in Green Bay, he was benched in favor of Davontae Harris.
Yiadom got his job back, briefly, but today, last year’s cornerback starters are both gone. Harris became a free agent in March and signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. On Wednesday, Yiadom was sent to the other coast after he apparently lost out on the No. 3 and 4 cornerback slots to the likes of undrafted Essang Bassey, third-round rookie Michael Ojemudia and veterans Davontae Harris and De’Vante Bausby.
The trade came on the same day Fangio moved Bassey into the slot position on the Broncos' No. 1 nickel defense and moved cornerback Bryce Callahan to the outside position.
The roster cutdown from 80 players to 53 is coming Saturday. Broncos’ general manager John Elway got a little something (7th round pick) in exchange for a player who was not likely to make the team.
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