Levi Wallace

Broncos’ Riley Moss ‘Firmly In Mix’ To Start

June 20th, 2024 at 6:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have identified a star cornerback in Patrick Surtain; the fourth-year player is a clear extension candidate. Last season also featured the emergence of slot defender Ja’Quan McMillian. With two regular spots locked down, Denver will still go into training camp with uncertainty at the position.

After Week 1 starter Damarri Mathis did not pan out in DC Vance Joseph‘s first season back with the team, the Broncos received better play from replacement Fabian Moreau. The latter is no longer on the roster, opening the door to a CB2 battle featuring a host of players. While none appears a true frontrunner, the team’s investment in Riley Moss remains notable.

Denver sent Seattle a 2024 third-round pick to trade up for the Iowa corner in the 2023 third round, but an offseason injury — requiring sports hernia surgery — sidetracked the rookie’s season. Moss played only 23 defensive snaps last year, but he is a clear candidate to man the boundary spot opposite Surtain. Moss is “firmly in the mix” for the job, per the Denver Post’s Troy Renck, with colleague Parker Gabriel indicating the second-year CB will be given every chance to land the gig after an impressive offseason.

Moss’ primary competitors appear to be Mathis and free agency addition Levi Wallace. Mathis replaced an injured Ronald Darby in Denver’s lineup early in the 2022 season but could not sustain his momentum last year. The former fourth-round pick did not exceed nine defensive snaps in any game following his Week 7 benching, playing zero snaps in six of the team’s final seven contests.

Wallace, who turned 29 last week, spent the past two seasons with the Steelers. An ex-Bills starter, Wallace also saw his role change in-season. The former UDFA shifted to a backup role midseason and did not return to starter duty until injuries affected Pittsburgh’s depth chart in late December. Pro Football Focus rated Wallace 88th among CBs last season, and despite a reduced workload, the six-year veteran allowed six touchdown passes as the closest defender.

The Broncos will give the 6-foot defender a chance to bounce back, though they only authorized a one-year deal worth $1.29MM ($668K guaranteed). Denver also drafted Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine in the fifth round, but he may not be thrown into the mix immediately.

The team’s positional makeup ahead of camp points to Moss being the preferred option. He was drafted under Sean Payton — whereas Mathis arrived during the Nathaniel Hackett-Ejiro Evero year — to play in Joseph’s scheme. The Broncos moved up 25 draft slots to acquire Moss, giving up one of their 2024 third-round picks — they received another from the Saints in the swap for Payton’s rights — to obtain him.

A former Iowa high school 110-meter hurdles champion, Moss moved from two-star recruit to Hawkeyes regular. The 6-foot defender intercepted 11 passes in his five college seasons, playing alongside Eagles second-round pick Cooper DeJean. Moss earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2021 and ’22.

Moss will obviously be attempting to break norms as a white NFL cornerback; no team has started a white corner since the Bengals’ Kevin Kaesviharn in 2003, Renck adds. Kaesviharn moved to safety soon after, spending much of his nine-year career there. Jason Sehorn, a Giants starter from 1996-2002, resides as the NFL’s last long-term white CB.

Whomever the Broncos decide to use as their primary CB2 starter will certainly be tested regularly, as teams will undoubtedly target the to-be-determined player with Surtain patrolling the other side. Moss showing he can stick at the position would give the Broncos a low-cost answer opposite Surtain, who could make a case to become the NFL’s highest-paid CB by a wide margin — considering the current gap between the wide receiver ceiling and the top CB number ($21MM AAV presently) — this offseason or in 2025.

If this competition underwhelms, the Broncos would have some options — should they seek more outside help. Adoree’ Jackson remains unsigned, as do Xavien Howard, Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson and likely Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson. Though, Peterson and Gilmore will each turn 34 soon. It stands to reason most of this lot will find jobs soon. Considering the Broncos’ situation, it would not exactly surprise to see them connected to one of them.

Broncos To Sign CB Levi Wallace

April 22nd, 2024 at 8:33am CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 22: Wallace is set to head back to Denver today with the intention of signing a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. His free agent visit obviously went well, and Rapoport notes Wallace had other offers but he preferred to play under Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Cornerback could still be a position of interest in this week’s draft, but the team now has a starting-caliber veteran in the fold.

APRIL 11: Preparing to go into last season with Damarri Mathis as the boundary starter opposite Patrick Surtain, the Broncos made a switch by moving veteran Fabian Moreau into that starting spot. Moreau is a free agent, and the team is looking into other options at cornerback.

One prospective addition has emerged. Ex-Buffalo and Pittsburgh corner Levi Wallace is visiting Denver on Friday, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. Wallace spent the past two seasons with the Steelers.

Wallace, 28, started 18 games for Pittsburgh but played a regular role in Buffalo. For his career, the former UDFA has 70 starts under his belt. He would certainly supply the Broncos with some experience and profile as an option opposite Surtain. The Broncos still roster Mathis and traded back into last year’s third round to draft Iowa’s Riley Moss. The latter did not see much playing time as a rookie.

Even before Tre’Davious White‘s seminal ACL tear, the Bills used Wallace as a regular starter. The Alabama alum started every game he played with Buffalo from 2018-21. Wallace never allowed a passer rating north of 86 in his first five NFL seasons, posting sub-77 numbers as the closest defender in 2018 and ’21. Pro Football Focus rated Wallace as the NFL’s fourth-best corner in 2018, marking a surprising emergence given his draft status. Wallace’s PFF marks steadily declined over the next five years, and the Steelers demoted him in 2023.

After starting five of the Steelers’ first six games, Wallace dropped to a backup role for the next several weeks. Injuries in the secondary prompted Pittsburgh to insert Wallace back into the lineup to close the season, but after he had signed a two-year deal worth $9MM, the Steelers had made other plans. On the whole, Wallace allowed six touchdown passes last season. After signing Patrick Peterson and drafting Joey Porter Jr. 32nd overall last year, the Steelers swapped out Peterson for Donte Jackson this offseason. Going into the draft, Pittsburgh has Porter, Jackson and Josiah Scott positioned as their top three CBs.

In Ja’Quan McMillian, the Broncos found a promising rookie in the slot. But they are still in need of an answer opposite Surtain. The team may well look to the draft to address this role as well, with Moss presumably set to factor into a potential competition. With Moreau unsigned, the team will see if Wallace proves a low-cost fit.

Steelers CB Levi Wallace Assured Of Starting Role

August 19th, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ cornerback room will look significantly different with free agent addition Patrick Peterson and second-round rookie Joey Porter Jr. How large of a workload the latter handles right away will go a long way in determining Pittsburgh’s secondary plans.

As detailed by Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Porter is firmly in contention for a starting role as a perimeter corner (subscription required). If he is able to secure that spot, Peterson would be well-positioned to transition from outside corner duties to more of a hybrid alignment which would see him log considerable time as a safety alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick. Such a scenario was discussed between Peterson and the Steelers’ coaching staff not long after his arrival on a two-year deal.

In the event Porter earns a first-team spot, veteran Levi Wallace would line up opposite him. The latter logged a 76% snap share in 2022, his first Steelers campaign. The former Bills UDFA had a strong showing with four interceptions, 13 pass deflections and a 53.2% completion percentage allowed in coverage. One year remains on his contract, and he is due to carry a $5.48MM cap hit – more than a reasonable rate for a full-time starter at the CB spot.

As Kaboly notes, Wallace is assured of starting regardless of if Porter wins the job opposite him, or Peterson is used in his traditional corner spot. In the latter case, Porter would be used off the bench and Chandon Sullivan would be used in the slot. Matching his performance from last season would allow Wallace, 28, to handle and uptick in playing time and put himself in a strong position ahead of free agency while giving Pittsburgh a consistent performer in the secondary.

Beyond that, questions will be raised about Porter’s readiness to play a major role as a rookie – something he was thought to be capable of coming out of college as one of the highest-rated members of this year’s strong corner class. At the age of 33, a move to safety would also likely pay dividends for Peterson with respect to prolonging his career and ensuring his effectiveness with a third career team.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Jones, Ravens

October 21st, 2022 at 1:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

A bit of a controversy developed in Pittsburgh this week. Mitch Trubisky and Diontae Johnson engaged in a shouting match during halftime of the Steelers-Jets contest, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, adding that this provided the impetus for Trubisky’s benching. Mike Tomlin did not confirm or deny a shouting match between the quarterback and the team’s highest-paid wideout ensued, though Johnson essentially confirmed a football-related argument took place. But The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly adds the dispute was not the deciding factor in the 16th-year coach moving to Kenny Pickett for the second half of that game. Johnson wanted more targets from Trubisky in that Week 4 game, Dulac adds, leading to the team’s original starter standing up to the fourth-year receiver.

Tomlin benched Trubisky primarily due to his underwhelming performance during the season’s first month, with Kaboly adding he had already decided to go with Pickett. Trubisky sat throughout Week 5 but played well when reinserted into Pittsburgh’s lineup following Pickett’s Week 6 concussion. Despite a bounce-back relief effort against the Buccaneers, Trubisky is set to return to the bench. Pickett cleared concussion protocol Friday and is in line to start against the Dolphins, Tomlin said. Levi Wallace and Pat Freiermuth also cleared the protocol, arming the Steelers with key starters.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

It looks likely Deion Jones will make his Browns debut Sunday. The team held off from activating the recently acquired linebacker from IR last week, giving the longtime Falcons starter more time after designating him for return. Jones is progressing fast in Joe Woods‘ defense, per linebackers coach Jason Tarver (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, on Twitter). Tarver said Jones could be in position to wear the green dot, signifying headset communication, in the near future. The Browns, who lost Anthony Walker to a season-ending injury in Week 3, acquired the six-year Atlanta cog for merely a 2024 pick swap.
Cleveland will be without multiple Pro Bowlers against Baltimore, however. The Browns ruled out Wyatt Teller and Denzel Ward for their divisional matchup. Teller is battling a calf strain, while Ward will miss a second consecutive game due to a concussion he suffered in Week 5.
Ben Powers has operated as the Ravens‘ left guard this season, winning a training camp competition. While 2021 third-round pick Ben Cleveland was nominally in that battle, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes the younger Ben in this matchup did not mount a serious push at winning the job opposite Kevin Zeitler. The Ravens have been frustrated with Cleveland’s inability to practice consistently due to injuries, Zrebiec adds. Cleveland missed the first week of training camp due to a failed conditioning test and has missed the past two games due to a foot injury. The Ravens did see Cleveland return to practice Thursday. Cleveland, who started four games last season, has not played an offensive snap this year. Baltimore was holding a three-player competition for the job Powers won. The third entrant, Tyre Phillips, is now with the Giants.

Steelers Rule Out Minkah Fitzpatrick, Top 3 CBs For Week 6

October 14th, 2022 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Tomlin‘s .500-or-better streak is facing perhaps its biggest threat yet. After the Steelers’ 38-3 loss to the Bills, they will be without nearly their entire starting secondary against the Buccaneers.

Pittsburgh ruled out Minkah Fitzpatrick with the knee injury he sustained in Buffalo and will also sit cornerbacks Cameron Sutton, Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace against Tampa Bay. Hamstring injuries will sideline Sutton and Witherspoon, while Wallace suffered a concussion against his former team. Starting safety Terrell Edmunds missed Week 5 with a concussion but practiced fully all week.

Since the Steelers acquired Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins in September 2019, they have only been without him in one game — due to COVID-19 last season. Fitzpatrick played 96% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps last week. The team rewarded its two-time All-Pro this summer with a four-year, $72.99MM extension. The team re-signed Witherspoon and added Wallace — each on low-cost contracts.

Sutton and Wallace played against the Bills, while Witherspoon will miss a third straight game. The team started Arthur Maulet in place of Witherspoon in Buffalo; James Pierre is the team’s only other healthy corner on the 53-man roster. Former second-round picks Josh Jackson and Quincy Wilson reside on Pittsburgh’s practice squad, which houses four corners. Duke Dawson and second-year UDFA Mark Gilbert are on that 16-man P-squad. Still, this creates quite the advantageous spot for Tom Brady and his receiving corps.

The Steelers rank 30th in total defense and 26th in points allowed. They started 1-3 last season and began 1-4 during Ben Roethlisberger‘s 2019 injury season but rallied back to .500-or-better marks in each year. The only season in which the Steelers sat four games under .500 during Tomlin’s tenure came in 2013, when the team rallied back to 8-8.

Steelers Notes: Wormley, Leal, Wallace

July 2nd, 2022 at 6:16pm CST by Ely Allen

Going into the 2021 NFL season, Steelers defensive tackle Chris Wormley had 3.5 career sacks from his time in Baltimore and Pittsburgh. After a fractured ankle landed nose tackle Tyson Alualu on injured reserve, Wormley took advantage of the increased playing time and broke out with seven sacks, good for third on the team behind T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward. He also reached career-highs in total tackles (51), tackles for loss (six), and quarterback hits (10).

Despite Wormley’s breakout season as a starter, the arrival of defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi could force Wormley back into a reserve role, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic. Pittsburgh will likely rely on Ogunjobi to be a more well-rounded lineman, as Wormley tends to lose battles off the snap on running plays. The Steelers defense allowed the most rushing yards of any team last season, and it looks like signing Ogunjobi is a move that will address that.

Here are a couple other notes from the Steel City’s roster breakdown:

Rookie third-round pick DeMarvin Leal is another player that could limit Wormley’s playing time. Just as Wormley had spent time as an end with the Ravens and a tackle with the Steelers, Leal provides the versatility to play both inside and outside on the defensive line. If he can impress in camp and the preseason, I’d expect Leal to play more at the start of the season and for the Steelers to lean on Wormley more as the season wears on longer than Leal is used to from 12-game college regular seasons. Otherwise, giving him a bit more time to get adjusted while keeping him fresh for some late-season playing time could be extremely effective, as well. The combination of Leal and Wormley as versatile, athletic defensive line options gives Pittsburgh a couple of possibilities that could really help its defensive line depth.
With Joe Haden departing Pittsburgh for free agency, the Steelers have two cornerbacks who could potentially replace Haden as the starter opposite Cameron Sutton next season. 2021 trade acquisition Ahkello Witherspoon showed a ton of promise to end last season, totaling three interceptions and nine passes defensed in a six-week span. Pittsburgh will likely give him the opportunity to build off of that production for a full season. This leaves free agent signing Levi Wallace as the probable No. 3 cornerback to start the year for the Steelers. During spring practices, Sutton and Witherspoon lined up with the first-team defense on the outside in normal alignments, but, in nickel and dime packages, Sutton would bump inside and Wallace would come in on the outside.

Steelers Not Seeking Outside Additions At CB, DL

June 19th, 2022 at 5:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

This offseason has seen a number of changes on the defensive side of the ball for the Steelers, leaving questions being asked at the cornerback and defensive line positions in particular. However, as detailed by Mark Kaboly of the Athletic (subscription required), the team is looking to internal options to fill important roles at those spots.

The CB room includes, as Kaboly states, a number of complimentary players, such as a former third-rounders Ahkello Witherspoon and Cameron Sutton. The latter took on a much larger workload in 2022, playing over 1,000 snaps for the first time in his career. Pittsburgh also added former Bill Levi Wallace in free agency, giving them another consistent, starting-caliber member of the secondary.

The unit has lost a familiar face in veteran Joe Haden, who was reported to be on the way out earlier this offseason. On that point, Kaboly confirms that the Steelers “have shown no interest” in a reunion with the 33-year-old. Lacking an established No. 1 at the position, Kaboly reports that team nevertheless appears willing to “ride with what they have,” leaning on their elite pass rush.

Their front seven suffered a substantial loss as well, though, after the retirement of Stephon Tuitt. That leaves the team in need of a new starter along the defensive line, which should lead to an increased workload for Tyson Alualu. The 35-year-old played only two games in 2021 because of an ankle injury, but he has provided consistent rotational play throughout his career. Kaboly also names Chris Wormley as an incumbent in line for more snaps. The former Raven recorded a career-high seven sacks last year, but was also part of the reason Pittsburgh gave up a league-worst 146 yards per game on the ground. Recent draftees Isaiahh Loudermilk and DeMarvin Leal will feature in the d-line rotation as well.

This late in the offseason, the Steelers, like all teams, are essentially set at the top of their roster. While their defense still features the likes of T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick, internal progress will need to be made at the front and backends of the unit if it is to help lead the team to another playoff berth.

Steelers To Sign CB Levi Wallace

March 15th, 2022 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Levi Wallace is moving from Buffalo to Pittsburgh. The Steelers are adding the four-year veteran cornerback on a two-year deal worth $8MM, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz tweets.

This stands to aid a Steelers team that has Joe Haden unattached. While the Steelers gave Haden a second contract, the former first-round pick has now made it to free agency. It is somewhat interesting the Bills are letting Wallace walk for this price. The team will need to replace a four-year starter.

Despite entering the NFL as a UDFA, Wallace worked as a Bills first-stringer throughout his career. He played in all 19 Buffalo games this past season. The Alabama product should be expected to start for the Steelers next season. The Steelers reupped Cameron Sutton last year and used him as a full-time starter. He and Wallace represent a low-cost tandem, by 2022 cornerback standards.

Wallace, 26, has six career interceptions. More became asked of him last season, when Tre’Davious White suffered a season-ending injury on Thanksgiving night. While Buffalo’s secondary did not hold up well to close out the team’s infamous loss in Kansas City, the Bills did rank first defensively in the regular season. The 6-foot Wallace finished the regular season with his lowest figure for passer rating against (72.6).

Not typically big on unrestricted free agency, the Steelers have been fairly active this week. In addition to the Mitchell Trubisky addition, Pittsburgh has agreed to terms with James Daniels and now with Wallace. The Steelers also re-signed tackle Chukwuma Okorafor for nearly eight figures per year.

Bills Interested In Re-Signing Levi Wallace

February 18th, 2022 at 11:46am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills face a number of tough decisions this offseason as they try to keep one of the league’s most complete rosters intact. One key piece to their league-leading defense is cornerback Levi Wallace, who is a pending free agent. As ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg writes, though, the Bills will look to re-sign him.

Wallace joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has started every game he’s appeared in since, however, proving his value to the team. He was counted on in the latter portion of this season in particular, after losing two-time Pro Bowler Tre’Davious White to a torn ACL in November.

Wallace stepped up in White’s absence, putting together arguably the best season of his career. He totalled 58 tackles, two interceptions and a personal-best 10 pass breakups. In coverage, he allowed a completion percentage of 58%, and a passer rating of 72.6, also the best mark of his NFL tenure to date. Overall, Wallace contributed to the Bills defense topping the league in both points (17) and yards (273) allowed per game in 2021.

When asked about the 26-year-old, general manager Brandon Beane said, “he’s a guy we’ll definitely talk to and would love to get him back if he wants to be back”. Even if White does return to full strength, both Wallace and backup Siran Neal are pending free agents, so Beane acknowledged that “cornerback is an area he would look at in free agency”. With the 25th pick in the draft, Buffalo could also be well suited to add a corner, given the depth of that position in this year’s class.

With Buffalo’s limited cap space, and other financial moves which need to be made – including with Stefon Diggs – Wallace could very well find better offers elsewhere. If the Bills are able to keep him, though, he would help the team maintain a highly productive CB tandem, and stay in Super Bowl contention.

Bills To Re-Sign CB Levi Wallace

March 17th, 2021 at 6:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Levi Wallace is sticking around Buffalo after all. The Bills announced that they’ve agreed to terms with the cornerback on a one-year deal.

It was a bit of a surprise when the Bills non-tendered the 25-year-old earlier this week. After all, Wallace had started 28 games for Buffalo over the past two seasons, including a 2020 campaign where he finished with 48 tackles, eight passes defended, and two interceptions. Wallace also started each of Buffalo’s three playoff games, collecting 12 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.

Despite being non-tendered, Wallace wanted to stay in Buffalo. The young corner did not consider any outside interest, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).

In total, Wallace has started each of his 35 career games, compiling 161 tackles, 20 passes defended, and four interceptions.

While the Bills have been busy adding players on the offensive side of the ball, they’ve mostly focused on retaining their defensive free agents. Specifically, the team re-signed linebacker Matt Milano to a four-year deal earlier this week.

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