Broncos Work Out Ex-Packers Starter After Injuries Hit ILB Corps

The Denver Broncos hosted seven players on free-agent tryouts Tuesday, including four inside linebackers as the club grapples with multiple injuries at the position.

According to the NFL's transaction wire, the Broncos worked out ILBs Krys Barnes, Garret Wallow, Jailin Walker, and Anthony Hines. They also brought in wide receivers Dax Milne, Braylon Sanders, and Grant DuBose.

None of the players have been extended contracts at the time of this writing.

Among the defenders, Barnes is the most noteworthy. The sixth-year former undrafted free agent started 24 games for the Green Bay Packers from 2020-2022, registering 124 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss, four pass deflections, and three sacks. He made 33 appearances for the Arizona Cardinals over the last two seasons, primarily on special teams.

"Barnes was a hard-working linebacker who possesses a good head for the ball, but he comes with poor measurables," longtime draft guru Tony Pauline noted of the UCLA product in his scouting profile. "He offers possibilities as a sixth linebacker who can line up on coverage units at the next level."

The Broncos are currently running thin at the off-ball spot after starter Alex Singleton suffered a broken thumb and primary backup Drew Sanders sustained a foot injury during the early stages of training camp. Singleton is expected to return within the next week, while Sanders is likely to miss "north of 4-6 weeks," per head coach Sean Payton.

But unless they undergo a sudden change of heart, and until Singleton is cleared, Denver will stand pat with the incumbents on the depth chart behind group leader Dre Greenlaw, who himself is coming off Achilles and quad issues.

To that end, sophomore ILB Levelle Bailey has absorbed the majority of first-string reps opposite Greenlaw — and continually made the most of them thus far in camp.

“He’s had a few good days. Real good days," Payton said Tuesday. "I think you’re getting a player into his second year with confidence. He’s in good shape. He looks like an NFL linebacker too. It’s funny because I can recall these stories of post-draft conversations and like an hour recruitment of him. You’ll have that happen with a number of players, and then a couple might go somewhere else. Then you’re pulling out all stops, and I’m glad we stayed patient in that process with him and we were able to get him because there were a number of teams interested. I would say I’ve clearly seen a jump from Year 1 to Year 2 in his confidence.”