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Corner Bryce Callahan was an undrafted free agent out of Rice University, signed up by the Chicago Bears in 2015. He spent four seasons with the Bears, oscillating between second and third on the Bears' depth chart during his time in Chicago.
This past week, Bryce Callahan, now a member of the Denver Broncos, was ranked as the second-best slot corner in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. He is also the highest ranked corner in the entire AFC West division. So how did Callahan go from being an undrafted free agent to one of the best in the league?
Bryce Callahan's NFL journey
As an undrafted free agent, the odds are always stacked against a player. The will and determination a player must exude to not only make an NFL roster but also continue to be a part of it is no easy task.
Corner Bryce Callahan showed promise while playing with the Bears for four seasons. He recorded four sacks and four interceptions in Chicago, and was given a 81.4% rating in 2018 which ranked in the top ten of all corners in the NFL.
Callahan suffered a broken foot late in the 2018 season and then entered free agency.
The Denver Broncos were interested in what they saw from Callahan in his first few NFL seasons and signed him to a three-year deal worth $21 million in 2019. Unfortunately, Callahan didn't play a single snap that year because he had to undergo surgery on his broken foot and the recovery stretched throughout the season.
Callahan was destined for a breakout season in 2020 after showing his abilities in coverage. Last season, he was the starting slot corner for the Denver Broncos. Callahan had two interceptions, 36 solo tackles and 42 total tackles last season.
In Pro Football Focus' ratings, it was noted that Callahan has been the best slot corner in coverage for the last few seasons. He has a 90.0 grade in coverage and opponents only have a 64.7% completion rate against him in coverage.
This season, the Denver Broncos secondary is expected to be ranked as one of the best in the league.
If Callahan can stay healthy through training camp and the entire 2021 NFL season, he will continue to rank as one of the best slot corners.
