DENVER — Kyle Fuller drew interest when becoming a free agent last Saturday. A gravitational pull led him to Denver.
He played for coach Vic Fangio for three years in Chicago, reaching All-Pro status in 2018. Stuck with taking a make-good, $9-million deal in a tepid market, Fuller figured it was best to go where he knew the system.
"Where my career goes next, this year will tell a lot," Fuller admitted, finding clarity in brevity during his Zoom press conference Monday afternoon.
By any measure, Fuller, 29, is a good player, an upgrade after the Broncos rotated through a carousel of cornerbacks because of injuries and ineffectiveness. He brings durability and production.
He missed the 2017 season with injury, but otherwise has played in every game since joining the league in 2014 (96 games, 94 starts). In his final season with Fangio in 2018, Fuller rose to stardom, intercepting seven passes with 21 defensed. He has not been the same player since, producing four picks in his last 32 games, and one a year ago.
Fangio knows Fuller well, the two bonding over golf during his years in Chicago.
Fuller joked, "We have that in common. (As a player), you just have to get Vic to open up."
Fangio expanded on Fuller, believing he can produce at a high level for a secondary that has been reshaped with the addition of cornerback Ronald Darby and the move of Bryce Callahan, also a former Bear, to the slot.
"I had him for four years in Chicago, and Kyle kept improving during that time we were there. And ultimately, in that last season, he had a Pro Bowl season. He's a guy that will tackle and will hit from the corner position," said Fangio, who considers tackling by defensive backs non-negotiable. "And we are going to do everything we can to get Kyle to that 2018 form. I know he's excited to be here. He's a really good person. He's a good teammate, which is always good to have in the building. And we are excited to have him."
