Broncos place reserve linebacker on injured list, sign a veteran safety

The Denver Broncos have waived inside linebacker Levelle Bailey and signed veteran safety Taylor Rapp in a corresponding roster move

BY JOEY FREEBURG

Aug 20, 2026, 2:19 PM

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The Denver Broncos have waived inside linebacker Levelle Bailey and signed veteran safety Taylor Rapp in a corresponding roster move.

Bailey suffered a broken leg during Denver’s preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons last Friday. He’s been designated as waived/injured and will revert to season-ending injured reserve once he clears waivers, ending his 2026 campaign before it truly began.

Per source, the #Broncos waived/injured ILB Levelle Bailey today. He will revert to season-ending IR, a move expected after he suffered broken lower leg in preseason game at Atlanta last week.

— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 20, 2026

The Fresno State product originally signed with Denver as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft. In his time with the Broncos, Bailey recorded five total tackles in 13 appearances. His situation is a tough one, but the hope is that Bailey will have time to fully recover and come back strong with the Broncos next year.

Bailey joins defensive lineman Matt Henningsen on season-ending injured reserve. Henningsen tore his Achilles during camp, heartbreakingly, the same injury that wiped out his previous season as well.

To fill Bailey’s vacated roster spot, Denver brought in Taylor Rapp, a 28-year-old safety and former second-round pick out of Washington by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. Rapp was a starter on the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship team and brings a wealth of experience to a safety room that needed reinforcement. Over seven NFL seasons with the Rams and Buffalo Bills, Rapp has appeared in 93 games, started 72 of them, and tallied 488 tackles, 12 interceptions, and 31 pass deflections.

Broncos add safety Rapp, move Bailey to IR | https://t.co/24dIoDuFkf https://t.co/RN2NvMqddw

— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 20, 2026

Safety depth had quietly become Denver’s most pressing roster concern after losing P.J. Locke to the Dallas Cowboys in free agency. The young backups – Devon Key, JL Skinner and Tycen Anderson – showed promise but didn’t fully convince the coaching staff during camp. Rapp is now the leading candidate to serve as the third safety behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones.

It’s a move that addresses a genuine need while giving the Broncos a proven veteran who knows what it takes to win at the highest level.