Essang Bassey
CB FA
Tue 8/13/24 8:38 PM

The Lions signed Bassey on Tuesday.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey will provide depth to a Lions' secondary that is dealing with injuries to rookie corners Terrion Arnold (pectoral) and Ennis Rakestraw (ankle). Bassey played in 15 regular-season games between the Chargers and Broncos last season, and he finished the year with 22 tackles (13 solo) and three passes defended.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Sat 12/23/23 7:10 PM

Bassey (concussion) is active Saturday against the Bills.
EDGE Analysis
Deane Leonard (ankle) won't play Saturday, which opens the door for Bassey to take more snaps at corner. The fourth-year corner has played at least 27 snaps in each of the last four contests and could see that rise given the Chargers' lack of healthy secondary pieces.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Thu 12/21/23 10:14 PM

Bassey (concussion) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Bills.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey was a full participant during Thursday's practice, yet his status for Saturday's game is up in the air. The veteran cornerback suffered a concussion in Week 15 against the Raiders and has been progressing through the league's concussion protocol. Bassey's status will be worth monitoring ahead of Saturday's matchup against Buffalo.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Thu 12/14/23 10:26 PM

Bassey will not return to Thursday's game against the Raiders after suffering a concussion.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey tallied one tackle before exiting the game just before halftime. He'll need to clear the league's concussion protocol prior to returning to the field, with his next chance coming in nine days in a Week 15 matchup against the Bills

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Wed 10/4/23 11:30 PM

The Chargers claimed Bassey off waivers from the Broncos on Wednesday.
EDGE Analysis
The Chargers cut DL Christopher Hinton to make room. Bassey helps fill the void in Los Angeles' defensive backfield with the reported trade of J.C. Jackson back to the Patriots. Bassey appeared in one game for the Chargers last season, as he's bounced between the Broncos and Chargers since entering the NFL in 2020.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Tue 10/3/23 5:04 PM

Bassey was waived by the Broncos on Tuesday, Aric DiLalla of the team's official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey entered the season as the team's nickel corner, but he ultimately lost the job to Ja'Quan McMillian this past week, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Gabriel also speculates the move may have been made to create space for running back Dwayne Washington on the active roster, as Javonte Williams (hip) is considered questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Sat 3/18/23 11:17 PM

Bassey signed a one-year deal to return to the Broncos on Saturday, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey was a depth piece in the secondary for the Broncos in 2022, but he saw the majority of his action on special teams. While he was non-tendered as a free agent by the team, he should be in line to return to a similar role in 2023.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Wed 3/15/23 9:25 PM

The Broncos did not extend Bassey (hamstring) a tender or qualifying offer Wednesday, per the NFL's communications site.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey is coming off the second-most productive of his four-year career, logging 15 tackles and two passes defended over 14 regular-season games in 2022. The 5-foot-10 cornerback missed back-to-back games with a hamstring injury midway through the season, and he saw his playing time on defense dwindle down the stretch of the season. As a result, Bassey wound up playing the majority of his 460 total snaps on special teams (250). The 24-year-old will now be free to negotiate and sign elsewhere this offseason.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Fri 10/28/22 12:41 PM

Bassey (hamstring) has been ruled out for the Broncos' Week 8 game versus the Jaguars.
EDGE Analysis
Bassey will miss Sunday's contest after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 6 against the Chargers, which has forced him to be absent for two consecutive games. With the Broncos' bye coming next week, Bassey will shift his focus to being ready for Week 10 versus Tennessee. In his absence, Michael Ojemudia could see a slight increase in usage.

Essang Bassey
CB FA
Tue 10/18/22 8:26 PM

Bassey is expected to be sidelined for some time with a hamstring issue, Troy Renck of Denver 7 News reports.
EDGE Analysis
Though the severity of Bassey's hamstring injury remains unclear, it sounds like he'll need some time off to fully recover. In five games played for the Broncos in 2022, the 24-year-old collected just three tackles in that stretch. In Bassey's absence, Patrick Surtain and K'Waun Williams should continue operating with their usual starting roles, while Darius Phillips, Damarri Mathis and Michael Ojemudia could see more rotational snaps throughout Denver's secondary for the time being.