The Denver Broncos got a big win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 13, though it came amid historic performances from opposing quarterback Jameis Winston and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.
Heading into another contest with significant playoff implications against the Indianapolis Colts, the Broncos have benched one of the key contributors to their win over the Browns.
The Broncos benched Levi Wallace, taking it one step further.
“Levi Wallace is INACTIVE,” 9News’ Mike Klis wrote on December 15. “So it is Kris Abrams-Draine/Damarri Mathis in [Riley] Moss’ CB spot today.
“After making his NFL debut in Week 13, rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine is active for the second consecutive game,” DenverBroncos.com’s Aric DiLalla wrote on December 15. “Abrams-Draine played 12 defensive snaps against the Browns and saw time at cornerback late in the fourth quarter as the game hung in the balance.
“Veteran cornerback Levi Wallace, meanwhile, is inactive for Sunday’s game against the Colts. Wallace played 74 snaps against the Browns in place of an injured Riley Moss.”
Moss injured his MCL in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders and has not practiced since.
“First-year cornerback Reese Taylor is also active, and he could be posed to make his regular-season debut,” DiLalla wrote. “Moss was the lone inactive player due to injury, as he was ruled out on Friday after being held out of all three of Denver’s Week 15 practices.”
Broncos head coach Sean Payton did not tip his hand about Wallace’s future. But he did tout the team’s depth without.
Abrams-Draine was a fifth-round pick this year. Taylor was an undrafted free agent in 2023.
Levi Wallace Showed Remorse Over Performance in Broncos Win vs Browns
GettyLevi Wallace #39 of the Denver Broncos looks on against the New Orleans Saints.
Pro Football Focus charged Wallace with allowing six receptions for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns on 10 targets versus the Browns.
Jeudy posted the most receiving yards by a player against his former team in NFL history.
“I take it all on myself,’’ Wallace told The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson in an interview published on December 12. “I don’t put the blame anywhere else. I just want to say myself personally I just didn’t make the plays. … I’ve had really good games and what I just had that was probably the worst game I played in the league. Absolutely.
“Maybe my pride (was hurt). I’ve covered Jeudy plenty of times and Jeudy is a good player. He’s always been. I have been, too. Him and me were talking a little bit out there (after the game), and some stuff, that just happened. But such is life.”
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joesph, who, like Wallace, was a target of fans’ ire during the game, said the showing fell on him first and never on a player.
Wallace credited the Browns for their approach to an aggressive Broncos defense.
“You got to give them credit,’’ Wallace told Tomasson. “They knew that we lead the league in sacks so their main objective was to protect Jameis, and so there was a lot of max protection, which just kind of left us out there by ourselves (in the secondary).”
Wallace, who signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Broncos during the 2024 offseason and earned $11.8 million in his career, per Over The Cap, may be done in Denver.
Fans React to Levi Wallace Benching
GettyLevi Wallace #39 of the Denver Broncos takcles Xavier Legette #17 of the Carolina Panthers.
Some Colts fans were certainly eager for a chance to take advantage of Wallace in coverage this week. However, nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian was also an appealing matchup in their eyes.
Understandably, then, some Broncos fans celebrated Wallace’s benching.
“Target TEs or RBs?” Stampede Blue’s Jay Robbins posted on X on December 15. “Or feed [Josh] Downs who is 4th in the NFL vs Man coverage & is going against the most targeted Slot CB in the NFL (McMillian) by 10
“Or try for a big play with Alec [Pierce] or AD [Adonai Mitchell] against Levi Wallace who is coming off of a terrible coverage game vs deeper depth targets.”
“Levi Wallace benched,” one fan posted in reaction. “Broncos playoff spot.”
Wallace was eager for a chance to redeem himself in Week 15, but that did not come. And Week 13 was not his first poor outing this season. Wallace has allowed a 60% completion rate or better in eight of 13 games, per PFF.
Opposing QBs have completed 100% of their passes thrown in Wallace’s direction in five games. Those passers were 9-for-9 in those outings when targeting Wallace.
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