Broncos now have an obvious free agent fit at ILB after major injury

While the Denver Broncos did blowout the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 of the preseason, it came at a lost, as inside linebacker Levelle Bailey suffered a broken leg, so he is going to be out for an extended period of time.

Going forward, this could give more snaps to guys like Red Murdock, Taurean York, and Karene Reid, who made the active roster in 2025. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are entrened as the starters at the position, but those other two or three spots are surely up for grabs.

With Bailey out of the picture for the long-term, could the Broncos pivot to a battle-tested inside linebacker still on the free agent market?

Could the Denver Broncos sign ILB Bobby Okereke after Levelle Bailey's injury?

Bobby Okereke would make some level of sense for the Broncos, especially if they desire another veteran in the room.

Singleton and Strnad is certainly not the best duo in the NFL, and may be one of the worst, as Singleton is simply unplayable in coverage at this stage of his career, and Strnad has never been a full-time starter.

While Murdock and York are two exciting rookies, there is zero guarantee that either of them emerge as anyone of note in the room. Okereke's potential fit in the room would make sense for this reason, as he'd honestly be someone who might end up being the most talented linebacker the Broncos would have.

His 2025 season was not the best, though, as according to PFF's data, Okereke finished with a 56.7 overall grade, which ranked out 54th among 88 linebackers. He allowed a passer rating of 91.4 in coverage. For reference, Singleton's overall grade was a 70.5, but he allowed a 109.9 passer rating. Strnad's was 75.3 with a 91.5 coverage grade.

Okereke played and started in all 17 games for the New York Giants in 2025, finishing with two interceptions, 6 passes defended, 143 total tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hit.

He's amassed triple-digit tackles in four of his past five seasons, and the lone year he did not, in 2024, he played in just 12 games. Okereke is certainly not a slouch and is probably still a starting-caliber player at the position.

The veteran just turned 30 years old, too, so he's still young enough. For the Broncos, the ILB unit was probably the worst group on the team last year, and the front office didn't do a whole lot to improve that unit. With Bailey now out for what could be the entire season, the Broncos should pivot to the free agency market, as there is nothing stopping them from potentially keeping five ILBs on the roster for 2026.

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