Broncos list Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss as inactive for Week 5 vs. Chargers

The Denver Broncos have released their list of inactive players for their Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., and the news includes two key names in the secondary. Cornerbacks Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss were among the players previously ruled out due to injury, and both are included in the team’s group of seven inactive players announced ahead of kickoff.

In NFL game-day procedures, the inactive list is used to finalize which roster players will not suit up for the contest. When multiple starters sit, the ripple effects usually show up immediately in defensive assignments, nickel and dime personnel packages, and the coverage responsibilities placed on the remaining cornerbacks and safeties.

Surtain, one of Denver’s core cornerbacks, is typically central to the Broncos’ pass-defense plan, particularly in matchups that require physicality at the line of scrimmage and disciplined coverage technique in man and zone looks. Moss, also a cornerback, has been part of Denver’s rotation and depth at the position. With both ruled out, Denver will have to rely on its remaining defensive backs to absorb additional snaps and cover for the absence of those two roles.

The Broncos’ announcement matters beyond the immediate snap count. Cornerback depth is also tied to how a defense handles tempo and third-down patterns, since teams often tailor coverage structures around who is available. With two cornerbacks inactive, Denver’s defensive coordinator will likely adjust coverage shells and may shift the balance between press concepts, zone burglary calls, and man-to-man matchups based on the personnel on the field.

For Los Angeles, the Week 5 matchup presents a clear scouting and game-planning adjustment. When a defense lists its cornerback options as inactive, it changes how opposing coordinators look at routes that stress the boundary, how often they can allocate receivers to specific coverage leverage points, and which receivers become more prominent targets depending on how the Broncos replace those coverage responsibilities.

While the Broncos’ report confirms the presence of Surtain II and Moss on the inactive list, it does not, within the information provided here, detail specific injuries or the remaining names among the seven inactive players. That means the full impact on Denver’s defensive rotation, and whether any other units are affected, cannot be assessed from this announcement alone.

As the game approaches, the key question for Denver will be how quickly the replacements settle into their assignments and whether the defense can maintain communication in coverage without two of its established cornerback options. The answer will show up not only in big-play prevention, but also in third-down efficiency, where coverage rotations and leverage depend on dependable execution across the secondary.

For this Week 5 meeting, watch how Denver manages boundary matchups early, how its nickel package is structured, and whether the Broncos can generate consistent pass-rush pressure to help compensate for a secondary reshuffling caused by the two cornerback absences.