ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — All three Denver Broncos running backs stayed healthy last season with only Javonte Williams missing one game because of a quad strain.
All three Broncos running backs were decent to good last year, including Williams who bounced back from an ACL injury to lead his team with 774 rushing yards. All three did a nice job catching the ball out of the backfield.
And all three Broncos running backs are under contract for the upcoming 2024 season.
That’s the good news. The problem is the Broncos’ running back position still wasn’t good enough last year.
Running behind an offensive line where Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey are superior run blockers, Williams rushed for only 3.6 yards per carry. Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine combined for only 5 rushing touchdowns. There were only 7 rushing plays of 20-plus yards, four by McLaughlin, who was a pleasant undrafted rookie surprise.
McLaughlin provided a much-need burst to the Broncos backfield but at 5-foot-7 ¾, 187 pounds, he averaged just 4.5 carries a game. Jaleel plus 20 pounds is what the Broncos need. And they're out there. The NFL produced 12 1,000-yard rushers in 2023 and 20 had at least 900 yards.
- 29th in NFL- Javonte Williams: 217 rushes, 774 yards, 3.6 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns, 47 receptions, 228 yards, 2 touchdowns
- 53rd - Jaleel McLaughlin: 76 rushes, 410 yards, 5.4 yards per carry, 1 touchdown
31 receptions, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns - 62nd - Russell Wilson, QB: 80 rushes, 341 yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns
- 77th - Samaje Perine: 53 rushes, 238 yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 1 touchdown
50 receptions, 455 yards, 0 touchdowns
The Broncos could use more juice from their running back position in 2024. Ideally, teams like to add running backs from the draft where the position has the youngest, freshest legs.
However, the general consensus among draftniks is there isn’t a running back worthy of a first-round selection this year. The Broncos don’t have a second-round pick so that means they will have to do good scouting work to nab a running back in the third round or later – as Sean Payton did in the 2017 draft when he selected Alvin Kamara for New Orleans.
Running backs with speed worthy of second-day selections (2nd and 3rd rounds) include Texas’ Jonathon Brooks, Oregon’s Bucky Irving, Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, Michigan’s Blake Corum and Florida State’s Trey Benson.
Free agency will also provide considerable second-wave depth with the likes of Zack Moss, Gus Bradley, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and possibly Austin Ekeler.
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