Lammey: TD is right, Royce Freeman should be the Broncos starter
Aug 8, 2018, 9:44 PM | Updated: Aug 9, 2018, 7:22 pm
When the Denver Broncos dropped its first depth chart this week, head coach Vance Joseph said the team opted for experience at the running back position when choosing Devontae Booker as the starter over Royce Freeman.
The most senior member of the Broncos running back room, Booker enters his third year in 2018 and, according to Joseph, earned the right to be the “lead guy.”
Joseph, however, said the situation is “very fluid” and could change several times over the next few weeks.
“It’s for now. It’s pencil. It’s pencil at the running back position,” said Cecil Lammey, co-host of “Pritchard and Cecil.” “You know what Royce Freeman could be? He could be the eraser that takes Devontae Booker out of that first spot.”
Lammey echoed Wednesday comments from former Broncos running back Terrell Davis to “NFL Total Access,” wherein the former running back himself said he believes Freeman will be the team’s No. 1 back this season.
“I’ve talked to people in Denver, and they’re just thrilled from what they see in camp and what they saw in minicamp from Royce Freeman,” Davis said. “They think he’s going to be a starting running back.”
Said Lammey: “Terrell Davis expects Freeman to be the starter. Guess what? So do I.”
Utilizing Freeman as the lead back, Lammey said, could lead to a 1,110- to 1,200-yard season in 2018.
However, not all have been as impressed with the rookie running back as Lammey.
“Stokley and Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley said Wednesday he was going to take a “wait and see” approach to Freeman, that he hasn’t seen much out of the Oregon product thus far in training camp.
“The hype was there. You saw the dynamic running back at Oregon and a lot of hype around him,” Stokley said. “But, he hasn’t jumped off at me out here at practice.”
For certain, when the Broncos suit up against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday at home, Booker will be the first back on the field.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.