The Denver Broncos have one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in Patrick Surtain II, but the opposite side of the field does not inspire as much confidence.
On June 4, Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News referred to the Broncos’ signing of cornerback Levi Wallace as the team’s worst offseason decision.
“(The Broncos) gave Wallace only two years at $8 million, but they ended up with one of the league’s shakiest starters who will be exploited plenty opposite the non-traded Patrick Surtain II,” Iyer stated.
Wallace did obtain a two-year, $8 million contract, but not with the Broncos. It happened with the Pittsburgh Steelers in March 2022. Wallace signed a one-year, $1.29 million contract with Denver on April 22.
That still may be too much.
Levi Wallace Doesn’t Seem Like A Long-Term Solution at CB.
Wallace was a solid cornerback in 2022 but was picked on in 2023.
According to PFF, Wallace graded out at a dismal 57.8 percent in 2023, and his two interceptions were somewhat misleading given that he was targeted 71 times, making him one of the most-targeted corners in the NFL.
Wallace received a massive “L” early in the season when he missed a wide-open tackle on San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey on a 65-yard touchdown run in front of his home crowd, something Steelers fans will remember.
“You probably don’t want him to start…” “If Levi Wallace is your fourth corner on the depth chart, you’re in a pretty good spot,” PFF’s Sam Monson stated in October 2023. “If he’s one of your top two, you’re going to have some problems because he can’t match up with those best receivers.”
Wallace started 18 games for the Steelers in two seasons, totaling 6 interceptions and 24 pass deflections.
Wallace earned two national championships at Alabama before joining the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He played for the Bills for four seasons before joining the Steelers in 2022.
The Broncos could take a significant step back in 2024.
The Broncos were a slight surprise with an 8-9 record in 2023 under first-year head coach Sean Payton, but they are expected to take a significant step back in 2024 – BetMGM put Denver’s over/under wins total at 5.5 on June 5.
Only the New England Patriots had a poorer record, with 4.5 wins.
Denver is a franchise that has struggled financially in recent years. They haven’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season, haven’t won a game since finishing 9-7 in 2016, and their eight wins in 2023 were their most since 2016.
The Broncos are hunting for bargain-level players like Wallace, thanks in large part to a poor financial situation and a knee-jerk response to the NFL Draft. That’s due in large part to one of the worst sign-and-trades in history, in which they sold two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in March 2022.
The Broncos signed Wilson to a five-year, $245 million contract extension with $165 million in guaranteed money, followed by two cringe-worthy seasons of Wilson cosplaying as an NFL starting quarterback before releasing him in March 2024.
The consequences of that deal now left the Broncos with $85 million in dead money over the next two seasons.
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