Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fourth-year cornerback Bless Austin, No. 38.
Before the Broncos: Austin (6-1, 198 pounds) was a football product of Rutgers, where he started strong as a freshman in 2015, playing in nine games, finishing with one interception (which he returned for a touchdown), 31 total tackles and two tackles for losses. Austin then went on to record his best statistical year in 2016 as a sophomore, when he played in 11 games and totaled 43 tackles, one interception and 14 pass breakups. During his last two years at Rutgers, he only appeared in five more games due to injuries.
Austin was picked in the sixth round of 2019 NFL draft by the New York Jets. As a rookie, Austin started six of the seven games he appeared in. Austin began to flourish in 2020, where he played in 11 games, starting 10 of them for the Jets. Then the injury bug began to bite. Austin ended up on the IR/Designated to return list in 2020, before being waived by the Jets in early 2021. Austin was then picked up by the Seattle Seahawks, where he saw action in 11 games, but only started one; he missed two games while on the COVID-19 list and one game for personal reasons.
Broncos tenure: Austin was signed by the Denver Broncos in April after a three-day audition at the team’s minicamp. He’ll make his Bronco debut during training camp this summer.
Chances to make the 53 man roster: Austin has some intriguing upside, but he’s also had several injuries in his past. If he stays healthy, Austin could end up winning a backup cornerback spot, providing experience and depth in the secondary this season.
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