Khalfani Muhammad comes up big for Broncos in win over Falcons
Aug 2, 2019, 6:54 AM
The Broncos had their first preseason game of the year on Thursday night. They beat the Falcons by a score of 14-10 in the Hall of Fame Game.
Running back Khalfani Muhammad was a star of the night for the Broncos and his play helped lead the team to the win. Muhammad is built like starting running back Phillip Lindsay, and like Lindsay, he is fast and explosive with the ball in his hands.
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio was succinct when talking about Muhammad’s performance after the game.
“He’s got speed, he is elusive and he’s a tough guy. I’m not surprised by that too much.” Fangio said.
Can Muhammad make the 53-man roster? Let’s take a look.
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Big Opening Night
Muhammad was the brightest star for the Broncos on Thursday night. He looked good as a runner and receiver out of the backfield. He finished with seven carries for 50 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 24 yards.
Like Fangio, I’m not surprised by what Muhammad did in the preseason opener. I’ve watched him dating back to his days in college at Cal, through his brief pro career and all throughout OTAs, minicamp and training camp to this point. Muhammad is going to make these types of plays against that level of competition due to his natural skill as a downhill runner with track speed.
What we needed to see more of was Muhammad in pass protection. If he is going to make the team as a third-down back, then Muhammad will have to prove that he can protect his quarterback consistently. He’s a small back at 175 pounds and that’s not the size of player you want going up against 230-plus pound linebackers and blitzers hellbent on hitting Joe Flacco.
I talked to Muhammad earlier in camp about how important pass-blocking is for his chances to make the team.
“Pass protection is everything in this league, so we go over that a lot before practice and during practice. That’s a crucial part of a running back excelling.” Muhammad said.
One of the best ways Muhammad can prove his worth is when he doesn’t even touch the ball.
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New Guy Crowds the Room
The Broncos were able to secure the services of free agent running back Theo Riddick on Thursday. When it becomes official, Riddick is going to push one of the backs off the roster.
The 28-year-old veteran is well known as a fine pass-catching running back. Riddick has caught 281 passes during the last five seasons compared to 268 carries in the same span. He is also capable of lining up as a slot receiver and running receiver routes in addition to catching passes out of the backfield.
Riddick is a seasoned pro with more experience than anyone else on the roster at that position. He’s been in the league three years longer than Devontae Booker, but is only a year older than the Broncos most tenured back. Riddick’s presence is a direct threat to Booker making the roster, and it also clouds the future of guys like Muhammad.
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Practice Squad Bound?
The team could keep Muhammad around in 2019, but not on the 53-man roster. Instead, the Broncos may attempt to sneak through Muhammad to the practice squad. He was a seventh-round pick of the Titans in the 2017 NFL Draft, but Muhammad does have practice squad eligibility left if the team deems that’s the best landing spot for him.
On the practice squad, Muhammad will get to stay with the team and practice as a scout-team player. However, like other backs which have been stolen away (David Wiilliams was signed away by the Jaguars last year) Muhammad is free to sign with another team if he is going to their active roster.
Having that opportunity for a player like Muhammad could be too tempting to pass up. There is no doubt that Muhammad can play at the NFL level, but he may not want to be a practice squad player for Denver especially if he gets an opportunity to play with another team. The Broncos are playing a dangerous game if they risk losing Muhammad on the practice squad this year.
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Summary
We’ve seen Muhammad make plays regularly out at training camp and that performance carried over to the first preseason game. Muhammad was the best offensive player for the Broncos in their first preseason game. But going forward, he may actually get less playing time. The starters should play more for the Broncos in their following preseason games and that will cut into the chances that Muhammad gets to impress.
Adding Riddick will also cut into the snap count for players in the backfield. Even if Riddick plays mostly as a slot receiver, his presence will automatically mean that players near the end of the depth chart will play less.
The most-likely scenario for Muhammad is that he makes the team’s practice squad. He has skill as a runner and receiver, so having Muhammad ready in case of emergency is a solid plan for the Broncos.
