A fresh face at cornerback is calling the AFC West home as the Denver Broncos continue tweaking their secondary.
Former undrafted free agent Mario Goodrich is plenty familiar with the grind of professional-level football. In 2023, the Clemson alum spent his season with the Philadelphia Eagles, appearing in four contests and notching one start.
This past year, Goodrich was a member of the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions, recording six pass breakups and three forced fumbles throughout his ’24 campaign.
Now, the 25-year-old is joining the Denver Broncos; a move the team officially announced on Wednesday.
It’s been an offseason of defensive focus for Denver’s football team, and Goodrich is merely the latest example. The Broncos, heading into this year’s free agency with strong intent to sharpen the defense, landed linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga on multi-year deals worth north of $10 million annually.
That approach didn’t change entering the 2025 NFL Draft, either.
While many figured UNC running back Omarion Hampton was destined to play at Mile High if available at pick 20, Denver opted to pass on Hampton to roll with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron.
Now, Goodrich joins a group of Barron, Hufanga, and Sam Franklin, among others, spending their first season in the Broncos’ secondary.
In a corresponding move, Denver has parted ways with third-year safety Tanner McCalister.
This past year, the Broncos’ defense ranked seventh via least yardage allowed throughout the season (5,391). More impressively, that same unit was responsible for the third-least points surrendered league-wide (311).
These are rankings Sean Payton hopes rise even higher in 2025. In the meantime, Goodrich becomes the latest addition to a team hoping to reach a new level defensively.
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