The Denver Broncos offense was a top-10 scoring unit in 2024 and they did it without an effective run game. If the Broncos are going to go on a deeper run in 2025 and going forward, they have to improve and have an efficient run game in order take the next step forward.

Denver Broncos improving the run game is imperative for 2025

Going into NFL Free Agency, the Denver Broncos have a handful of backs on the roster for 2025. Jaleel McLaughlin, Blake Watson, Audric Estime, and Tyler Badie will all be on the roster going into training camp and after the NFL Combine this past week, it’s possible that the Broncos embrace a true youth movement at the position.

Whether it was Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, or the pair of Ohio State Buckeye backs like TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins who all impressed during testing in Indianapolis, the Broncos have plenty of options. The bigger question is how big of a priority is the running back position to them?

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“I would say [RB] Audric [Estime], [RB] Blake [Watson] and also [RB] Tyler Badie are all three young players,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said at the NFL Combine. “[RB] Jaleel [McLaughlin] I would put in that category. Overall from a running back perspective, we have to continue to look, whether it’s in the draft… I say this respectfully, I think it’s a position that generally speaking you can find either in free agency or throughout the draft. I’ve been part of drafts where we have selected runners high. Is it a priority for us? I think certainly improving our running game is going to be a priority and we feel like we have the right offensive line and the right group of players to give us a chance at that. This draft has a number of runners in it, and it’s just a matter of what you are looking for. We will see where we go from there.”

So what is it exactly that Payton is looking for? In his quest to find a consistent runner or a ‘Joker’ at the position, he is looking for somebody who possesses explosive play-making capability both on the ground and out of the backfield as a pass catcher. From a down-to-down rushing trait standpoint, I think Payton wants to find a back that has good vision and can see the holes quickly to get north-south, which was something Denver struggled with last season.

While general manager George Paton indicated they could bring Javonte Williams back, the expectation is that he’ll test free agency and likely land elsewhere instead of returning to Denver next season.

Another key thing Payton and Paton mentioned last week is that they believe they have the right offensive line in place, which seems to indicate some of the run game struggles last season were a personnel issue at the running back position.

We’ll figure out here shortly the potential path the team may take when NFL Free Agency takes place on March 12th, with the legal negotiating period taking place on March 10th.