Levi Wallace inactive for Broncos after rough game against Browns

DENVER — Levi Wallace struggled so profoundly against the Cleveland Browns that the Denver Broncos decided they’d seen enough of him.

The Broncos deactivated the veteran cornerback entirely for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, choosing to go with a plan to fill in for Riley Moss that includes rookie Kris Abrams-Draine, third-year veteran Damarri Mathis and practice-squad elevation Reese Taylor.

Wallace, who lost the training-camp battle with Moss for a starting spot, allowed 164 yards and a touchdown on 7 receptions against the Browns, per data compiled by SportRadar.com. But defensive coordinator Vance Joseph put the onus of blame on himself.

“Obviously, I didn’t call a great game if he didn’t play a great game,” Joseph said. “It falls on me first. It’s never on the player. It’s my job to make his job easy.”

Abrams-Draine spelled Wallace for the final 12 snaps of the win over the Browns. Mathis became a starter in Week 6 of the 2022 season and remained on the first team early last year until struggling and being replaced by Fabian Moreau.

Denver drafted Abrams-Draine in the fifth round this year, but did not activate him until Week 13 against Cleveland.

“Well, when you draft these young players at certain positions, it takes more time for those guys to develop to get ready to play for you,” Joseph said. “Obviously, corner is a position where if you’re not ready, it could be — a bad deal for you.

“But he’s practiced well. He’s smart, he’s engaged in meetings, he’s ready to play. You know, he competed well on Monday night, so the more he plays, the more he’ll improve.”

 

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Added Broncos coach Sean Payton regarding Abrams-Draine: “He’s smart. He’s got a savviness to him. I think he’s getting stronger physically and I thought he handled his role Monday night, you know, going in there and playing. I thought he had a pretty good game in the kicking game. That’s important.

“So, overall, I was pleased.”

THE FULL LIST OF BRONCOS-COLTS INACTIVES:

BRONCOS:

• ILB Levelle Bailey
• OT Frank Crum
• G Nick Gargiulo
• CB Riley Moss
• DE Enyi Uwazurike
• CB Levi Wallace
• QB Zach Wilson (emergency No. 3 QB)

COLTS:

• WR Ashton Dulin
• QB Sam Ehlinger (emergency No. 3 QB)
• S Darren Hall
• DE Isaiah Land
• G Atonio Mafi

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