Rahim

Moore

The 45th overall pick in this year’s draft, Moore tackled poorly before the bye and has also been terrible in coverage. To this point, Carter has been mostly a third safety and special teamer. Profiled as an in-the-box strong safety type coming from Oklahoma, Carter will be playing out of position.

Adams started all 16 games at free safety last season, excelling in coverage for the Browns. He confirmed he’s ticketed for the same position in Denver, which bodes poorly for 2011 second-rounder Rahim Moore, whose natural position is free. Quinton Carter may have the edge for the strong safety job.

Rahim Moore is expected to get a chance to win back the starting free safety job, but the Broncos need a strong safety to replace Brian Dawkins. The Denver Post specifically mentions Brandon Meriweather as a “fit.” LaRon Landry is the top safety available.

Moore opened the season as a starter, but was benched after five games for poor tackling and coverage -- the perfect storm for a safety. Bush is a career special teamer. He had one tackle in the Wild Card round win.

Carter had just overtaken fellow rookie Rahim Moore for the starting gig a few weeks ago. He’ll need to go through the NFL’s concussion procedures before regaining his starting job.

Moore was closing on a vertical route intended for Denarius Moore when he banged his head into another player. Fellow rookie Quinton Carter has come on.

Moore was believed to be in direct competition with Adams at free safety, but he’s now viewed as a legit option at strong safety after bulking up considerably in the upper body. The three safeties could end up in a rotation if Moore doesn’t impress enough in camp to win a starting job outright.

Carter got injured during an indoor practice on July 27, just as the Broncos had opened camp. He injured both his hamstring and knee, and had surgery on the latter. While it was just a “scope,” Carter may now cede his starting job to Rahim Moore. Mike Adams is running as the Broncos’ starting free safety in camp.

“Yes, they are,” Elway said when asked whether Moore and SS Mike Adams are still starters. The Broncos didn’t sign a free-agent safety, or draft one. Although Moore was a playoff goat, he graded out as a top-ten safety in Pro Football Focus’ 2012 regular season ratings and recorded 72 tackles with one INT.

Moore was victimized on Jacoby Jones’ 70-yard touchdown at the end of regulation in the Divisional Round, and has managed just two interceptions through 31 NFL games. Ball skills were supposed to be his calling card coming out of UCLA. Pro Football Focus did grade Moore as a top-ten overall safety in 2012, so he wasn’t a regular season liability. Adams was 27th among 88 qualifiers.