Denver Broncos sign former Alabama cornerback
The Denver Broncos bolstered their cornerback lineup with the recent acquisition of Levi Wallace, a former player for Alabama. Wallace now joins Patrick Surtain II in the Denver secondary, despite not having been teammates during their time at Alabama. Wallace’s NFL journey began in 2018, the same year Surtain commenced his collegiate career. Remarkably, Wallace, undrafted after his tenure with Alabama’s CFP national-championship team in 2017, has already accumulated 70 starts in the NFL.
Despite not being selected in the draft, Wallace’s career trajectory has been notable. He kicked off the 2023 season as a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but his playing time decreased with the emergence of second-round rookie Joey Porter Jr. However, Wallace regained his place in the lineup when injuries struck the Steelers’ secondary later in the season. His performance included 38 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended across 16 games, with nine starts in 2023.
In contrast, Surtain has quickly made his mark in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl honors twice and being named first-team All-Pro once in his three seasons. Nevertheless, the Broncos still seek competition for the cornerback position opposite Surtain, as Fabrian Moreau, who started 11 games for Denver in 2023, was not retained.
Broncos general manager George Paton emphasized the importance of fortifying cornerback and edge rusher positions during a recent press conference. While expressing confidence in the existing cornerback group, Paton highlighted the potential of young talents like Ja’Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, and Damarri Mathis. Mathis started the first six games of his second season but saw reduced playing time afterward, while Moss had limited action as a rookie.
