Broncos’ $13 million CB was cut after a disastrous MNF performance - landed a new role in the AFC South

Former Denver Broncos cornerback Levi Wallace has landed with a new team after the Broncos released him last December, signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 3.

“The 30-year-old Wallace will provide veteran experience in the Jaguars’ secondary,” Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith wrote. “He has played in 96 games with 72 starts in his NFL career, including 13 games and two starts for the Broncos last season. Wallace signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama in 2018 and became a starter as a rookie, and for three more years after that. He then spent two years with the Steelers before heading to Denver last year.”

The Broncos signed Wallace to a 1-year, $1.22 million contract in April 2024 after the biggest payday of of his career with a 2-year, $8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 2022 season.

Wallace has approximately $13.4 million in career earnings through the start of the 2025 season.

Jaguars Have Unique Situation in Secondary

The Jaguars have an intriguing situation at cornerback, where they will need depth in a way that might fit really well to Wallace’s skill set as an aging player.

Rookie cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, seems like he’s on track to become the NFL’s first 2-way player since Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame linebacker/center Chuck Bednarik in the early 1960s.

Broncos Cut Wallace After Disastrous MNF Outing

Wallace’s tenure with the Broncos came ton an abrupt end following a disastrous Monday Night Football outing against the Cleveland Browns on December 2.

While the Broncos came out with a 41-32 win, Wallace allowed six receptions for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns on 10 targets in Week 13, with most of those yards going to former Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy.

From Heavy.com’s Josh Buckhalter: “Jeudy posted the most receiving yards by a player against his former team in NFL history in that contest and the most in Empower Field at Mile High Stadium history. Rookie fifth-round draft pick Kris Abrams-Draine replaced Wallace to finish the game. The Broncos made Wallace inactive in Weeks 15 and 16 following the bye week after he vowed to perform better next time out.”

Unusual Path to Making NFL Roster

Wallace had one of the more unusual career paths you’ll ever come across in regards to making an NFL roster.

In 2013, Wallace was enrolled at the University of Alabama as a regular student and playing intramural flag football before his father convinced him to walk on the football team the next year. Wallace made the team as a walk on, eventually was awarded a scholarship and won a pair of College Football Playoff national championships in 2015 and 2017.

His senior year in 2017, Wallace had 48 tackles, 2 sacks, 18 pass breakups and 3 interceptions and started in one of the greatest college football games of all time — Alabama’s 26-23 overtime win over SEC rival Georgia in the CFP National Championship Game.

Wallace’s slight frame at 6-foot and 179 pounds along with a relatively slow 40-yard dash at 4.66 seconds killed his draft stock but he eventually made the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.