When the Broncos signed Ronald Darby to a three-year, $30 million contract before last season, they envisioned a shutdown corner who could generate takeaways in the secondary.
While Darby’s been reliable when healthy, the second part of those hopes has yet to materialize. Darby has eight career interceptions but didn’t have any last year, and hasn’t had a pick since Week 12 of 2019.
Breaking that interception drought is at the top of Darby’s to-do list in 2022, which is why he spent all of training camp and the preseason making best friends with the JUGS machine.
“(Getting interceptions) is why I’m out here early and why I stay at practice late, why I’m always on the JUGS,” Darby said. “I come out before the receivers, then I do the (pre-practice) drills with the receivers. I want to make sure I’m ready when my time comes to execute.”
Darby hopes his work with the JUGS machine will translate to “finishing the play” when opportunities for an interception present themselves. The 28-year-old had 16 passes defensed for Washington in 2019 and six last year with the Broncos, but has been unable to convert those break-ups into takeaways.
Remaining healthy will be the first step to getting takeaways and helping the Denver secondary which tied for 15th in the NFL with 13 interceptions last year. Hamstring-and-shoulder injuries limited Darby to 11 games in 2021, wiping out the beginning and end to his season. Darby also dealt with injuries from 2017-19 in Philadelphia. He’s played a full season just once in seven years in the league.
His latest setback came during training camp on August 8 when wideout Courtland Sutton landed awkwardly on Darby’s chest on a downfield pass on the last play of practice. Darby returned to practice Aug. 17 and said he’s “all good” with the Broncos’ regular season opener in Seattle looming less than three weeks away.
“(Sutton) just came down on me (weird),” Darby said. “It was a little chest contusion, so it was tough to breathe for a couple days.”
In addition to the JUGS machine, Darby said his battles with Sutton and Jerry Jeudy in practice have buoyed his confidence that he will be able to seamlessly transition into the regular season despite having not played any preseason snaps. Going against Wilson has also had its benefits for No. 23, considering the quarterback is “a guy who knows how to place the ball, has (elite) timing, the way he gets it out (with different arm slots).”
“It’s great matching skills with them,” Darby said. “They have speed, size, good route running with a great quarterback throwing it to them. It’s getting the secondary prepared.”
