Kareem Jackson re-signed with the Denver Broncos this offseason, while Justin Simmons is the third-highest paid safety on an annual basis in the league, so second-year safety Caden Sterns presumably has to wait at least another season to break out.
All good. The former fifth-round pick is used to making the most of limited opportunity. The saying goes “don’t count your reps, make your reps count.” The implied second part of that saving is if you make your reps count eventually you’ll get more reps. In 15 games last season (two starts), Sterns totaled two interceptions, five pass breakups, two sacks and 28 total tackles on 32% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps. He totaled a 34% special teams snap share as well.
Sterns’ position is one that Simmons sat in way back when. A third-round pick in 2016, Simmons was behind T.J. Ward a year before John Elway released the latter during final roster cuts heading into the 2017 season. Simmons was a strong safety then. Jackson, meanwhile, is the presumed starter at strong safety next season.
For now, Sterns is learning as much as he can from the safety duo, saying, via DenverBroncos.com, “I just pick up on everything that they do and watch how they communicate and how they play. So I’m just taking stuff from that, and to have that veteran presence and that leadership presence, it just trickles down in the secondary and the defense, as well as the team.”
Sterns admits he doesn’t know what his role will be next season right now. But whatever it is, based on his rookie season, it’s clear Broncos GM George Paton hit on a Day 3 draft pick. The GM looks to do the same during Thursday’s NFL draft, although the team doesn’t pick until Friday — barring a trade.
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