The Denver Broncos will enter this season with four running backs on their 53-man roster, but how all four of them will be used by Sean Payton is a bigger question.

Denver Broncos four backs will have different roles

It’s clear, based on the Denver Broncos’ offseason moves, that Sean Payton wanted to upgrade the running back position after the room struggled to produce an effective rusher on the ground last year, with Javonte Williams barely scraping 500 yards.

Enter J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, the Broncos’ key veteran signing late in minicamp, and the exciting young rookie out of UCF who headline the room at running back this year.

Jaleel McLaughlin returns, who was the most efficient rusher on the team last season, as well as Tyler Badie, who flashed some in the regular season before he suffered a scary injury against the New York Jets in Week 4.

All four make up the position for Payton, but what will those roles look like on gameday?

“It’s hard to get four up,” Payton said. “Historically speaking in the years that I’ve coached, we haven’t been that just one back, all the downs. We’ve typically been two backs. Then you may have someone that does third down, but it’s hard to get four backs up. There are times where you do if there’s a vision in the kicking game. So generally speaking, I think you can feed two. They appreciate that because when you look at their career span, that can benefit them. So that’s kind of been my history, and I’m not saying it’s everyone else’s.”

Dobbins and Harvey will see a primary bulk of touches, we’d imagine, with McLaughlin getting some touches as a change of pace back, but even though Payton said he’s been a typical two-back guy, Badie also has that kick game versatility he was talking about, and could be the potential returner next to Marvin Mims.

Ultimately, it boils down to the numbers game on the gameday roster, where only 48 players on the active roster can dress.

How Dobbins fits in Payton’s offense will be a fun development to watch unfold, considering the team only showcased him in one preseason game as a third-down back, but there’s a belief that he’ll be the primary back to start the season.

His arrival has been big for the Broncos’ already established team culture, and he’s already bringing the value and impact as a leader on offense, according to George Paton.

“J.K. Dobbins, you knew him as a player, respect him as a player [at] Ohio State, Baltimore, Chargers,” Paton said. “So [we had] so much respect for him as a player, but he was here for a day or two and he already had command of the room, the offense, the team. This guy is true edge, true leadership. So that’s been important, a great addition.

The NFL season is here, and we’ll get to see Dobbins, Harvey, and Payton’s running back room in their first regular-season action next Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.