Levelle Bailey

Career StatsD

Year	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT
Career		10	5	—	—
2025		3	—	—	—
2024		10	5	0.0	0

Updated May 23, 2026

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Denver Broncos' decision to sign Levelle Bailey to a $1.1M deal earns a D+ CVI, representing a slight overpay for what amounts to rotational linebacker depth. While the financial commitment is minimal in absolute terms, Bailey's production profile as a rotational player suggests his market value should have been closer to veteran minimum territory, making even this modest investment questionable from a pure value standpoint. The one-year structure does limit Denver's downside exposure, essentially functioning as a low-risk flyer on a player who may have untapped upside or special teams value that doesn't fully show up in traditional metrics. However, at $1.1M for a player who projects as a rotational piece, the Broncos are paying above-market rate for depth that could likely have been acquired more cheaply through the draft or practice squad elevations. This signing reflects the reality that even replacement-level NFL talent commands a premium, but Denver would have been better served finding similar production at a lower cost or investing these dollars elsewhere on their roster.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the D band — a quick read on where Levelle's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Levelle Bailey is firmly in replacement-level territory among NFL linebackers at this stage of his career, with a performance grade that reflects the reality of a second-year player who has yet to carve out a consistent role on a 14-3 squad. The data here is sparse by design — Bailey has appeared in just three games this season, all as an elevated practice squad contributor, which tells you everything about where he stands on the depth chart right now. There is no statistical standout to point to, and that absence of meaningful production is itself the defining characteristic of his current profile. What keeps this from being a total write-off is the organizational signal buried in his situation: Denver signed him to a future contract, which indicates the front office sees developmental upside worth preserving rather than simply cutting ties. As the mediaFraming makes clear, Bailey's realistic ceiling heading into next season is competing for special teams snaps and linebacker depth — not a starting role on a team that just went 14-3 and locked up the AFC's top seed. The Broncos have been active this offseason, committing first-round pick capital in trades and adding multiple players at skill positions, so Bailey will need to prove himself on the margins to stick. At 25, he still has time to develop, but the performance grade is a clear-eyed signal that the work is almost entirely ahead of him.

How Levelle Compares at the Position

Levelle Bailey ranks 307th of 338 graded linebackers by performance. That slots Levelle between Isaiah Stalbird (D) just ahead and Markees Watts (D) just behind.

Fan Sentiment

Levelle Bailey draws an A+ sentiment grade as the Denver Broncos narrative reflects his on-field role. Media coverage across multiple outlets has treated his elevation from the practice squad not as routine administrative shuffling but as a deliberate roster move by a playoff-contending organization, framing him as a developmental prospect the Broncos genuinely believe has long-term upside. The disconnect between this measured optimism and his D-grade performance is telling—reporters are grading the transaction and organizational investment in his potential, not his current production, which remains limited after appearing in three games this season. Recent Broncos moves, including the hiring of head coach Sean Payton and defensive upgrades at safety and tight end, have reinforced the narrative that Denver is building intentionally for sustained contention, positioning Bailey as part of that longer-term depth investment. Fan reaction has been notably subdued, overshadowed by playoff preparation intensity, but the professional media consensus treats him as a legitimate prospect worth monitoring for next season's linebacker depth-chart battles rather than a fringe roster casualty. The A+ grade reflects confidence in the Broncos' evaluation process and Bailey's trajectory, not any imminent on-field impact, making this a narrative built on organizational faith rather than proven results.