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Report: Broncos Arrange Visit with Veteran Starting CB
A new running mate for Patrick Surtain II?
The Denver Broncos have identified a new potential running mate for Patrick Surtain II as the team is scheduled to host former Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace on a free-agent visit Friday, per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz.
Undrafted out of Alabama in 2018, Wallace, 28, is entering his seventh NFL season having spent the last two with Pittsburgh and his first four with the Buffalo Bills. He's totaled 236 solo tackles, 54 pass breakups, and 12 interceptions across 83 career games, including 70 starts.
In 2023, the 6-foot, 179-pound defender was graded as Pro Football Focus' 88th-ranked CB among 127 qualifiers, earning a 60.4 coverage rating. For reference, Surtain finished tied for 42nd with a 64.7 mark.
Wallace, if signed, would compete with (and likely beat out) sophomore Riley Moss to start opposite Surtain, relegating Damarri Mathis — PFF's second-lowest-graded corner — to a reserve role in Denver's back end.
Sans deal, the Broncos will address the position via this month's draft, perhaps bypassing other needs to do so. On Wednesday, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. mocked Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell to the club with its 12th overall pick.
"I thought hard again about giving the Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (Oregon), but I talked myself out of it. I just don't think Nix is a first-round signal-caller. I have a Round 2 grade on him based on everything I've seen on tape. He lit up defenses for the Ducks the past two seasons -- he had 74 touchdown passes to just 10 picks -- but there's some risk involved based on what he was asked to do in the Oregon offense. His average pass traveled 6.3 yards downfield last season, which was sixth shortest among 125 qualified FBS quarterbacks, according to ESPN Stats & Info," Kiper wrote.
"Instead, Denver can look to improve a defense that ranked 30th in yards per play allowed (5.8) last season and pair Mitchell with Pat Surtain. Mitchell, my top-ranked cornerback, had 46 pass breakups in four seasons at Toledo, and he ripped off an elite 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He's ready to play early and often as a rookie."
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