The Denver Broncos made a surprising move on Oct. 3 when they cut Essang Bassey. It was a surprise at the time because Bassey had been the team’s slot cornerback through the first three games of the season, playing in nickel packages.
After seeing the performance of Bassey’s replacement, the decision is no surprise in hindsight.
Ja’Quan McMillian has been playing in the slot since Week 4 and he has impressed. McMillian’s in-season rise was no surprise to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
“He had a great spring, so I’m not surprised that he’s playing so well right now in the fall,” Joseph said on Oct. 19. “He’s a young guy who’s open-minded. He takes coaching every day. He’s the same guy every day. He works hard. He can tackle, and he can cover.
“He’s a perfect nickel profile for this defense. He’s improving every single day. His communication is getting better, and his confidence is getting better. The more he’s played, he’s improved, so that’s the key for him. It’s been fun to watch him play and play well.”
McMillian made his NFL debut in Denver’s season finale last year and he played well and should have been awarded an interception. He grabbed his first official interception in a 24-9 upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8.
“I think he’s starting to play confidently,” Broncos safety Justin Simmons said of McMillian after the Chiefs game. “Any time you can go out there and play confidently, you play faster and things slow down for you. He’s getting into a rhythm and a flow, and his preparation in terms of his film study throughout the week and asking questions.
“I think he does such a good job of feeling what the offense is trying to give him and how they’re trying to set it up. … I think ‘J-Mac’ just did a good job kind of playing what he was seeing and playing confidently and playing fast.”
McMillian, 23, has totaled 23 tackles (including five behind the line of scrimmage), two pass breakups and one interception through five games in the slot. McMillian has emerged as a key member of the secondary and it looks like the slot cornerback job could be locked up for the foreseeable future.
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