The Denver Broncos’ biggest splash this offseason was acquiring head coach Sean Payton in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. After that, the team got busy spending in free agency to fill some gaps on the roster.
The Broncos spent lavishly on offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, offensive guard Ben Powers and defensive lineman Zach Allen. The team also bolstered their pass rush most recently signing Frank Clark after he was released this offseason by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Heading into training camp this year, Denver’s roster is improved compared to what they finished the 2022 season with. But, every team could use a few more tweaks and the Broncos aren’t an exception.
With just a few weeks until training camp, ESPN NFL insider Field Yates has suggested one more move each franchise should make. For the Broncos, he mentioned signing one more running back to the roster and there is no shortage of veteran options.
“The Broncos were immediately linked to Dalvin Cook following his release from the Vikings, which was not merely a byproduct of Cook being a very accomplished player; the team is also a tad thin at running back, given the lack of clarity on when Javonte Williams will be back from a major knee injury suffered last season. Even if Williams is ready at the outset of the season (no sure thing), the Broncos will likely want to be judicious with his workload. The good news for Denver is there is no shortage of available backs to potentially add right now: Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette join Cook as top options.”
The health of Javonte Williams will be something to keep an eye on throughout training camp. He is recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders and may not be ready for the start of the season.
Once he is healthy, this is his backfield to control. But, until he shows that he is 100 percent, it would be smart for the Broncos to bring in another experienced option in the backfield.
The team did sign Samaje Perine in free agency, but he is better suited for a third-down, passing-down role than a featured three-down role. The only other running backs currently on the depth chart for the Broncos are Tony Jones Jr. and Tyler Badie.
Of the names mentioned by Yates, Leonard Fournette would likely be the best fit. He has lead-back role experience and has some bounce back potential after playing behind a dismal Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line in 2022. Kareem Hunt offers similar strengths as Perine and Ezekiel Elliott doesn’t have much explosiveness left.
