Training Camp 2021: Previewing the Broncos running backs

The Denver Broncos are trying to get back to relevancy – and the postseason – in 2021. They turned in a down 2020 season, going 5-11 under Vic Fangio, but the staff returns intact to give it one more try. Fangio is entering his third year as the Broncos head coach, and it’s win (a lot of games) or go home. The Broncos changed things up in a big way this offseason by moving on from former general manager John Elway and hiring new GM George Paton.

This is the first year under the guidance of Paton, and the team has done a good job of adding quality players via free agency and the NFL Draft. However, there are questions that need answers before the start of the regular season. In this series at DenverFan.com, we will go through each position group searching for those answers.

This is the latest part in our Training Camp Preview. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into the running back position:

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Starters: Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon

The Broncos are likely to have a RBBC (running back by committee) featuring both Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon in 2021. In fact, there’s a chance the workload – which should be sizable – will be split 50-50 between the two.

Gordon is the incumbent and the team’s leading rusher from 2020. He was splitting time with Phillip Lindsay last year and now will have to split time again. For a player who has only played a full 16-game season once needs to stay fresh, especially since the NFL is going to a 17-game season in 2021.

Gordon used to be a speedy back who could break things outside the tackles when he was in college at Wisconsin. After being selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Gordon’s style changed. With the (then) San Diego Chargers, Gordon turned into a power back – or at least that’s what he tried to do. Instead of bouncing things outside with his speed, Gordon would lower his head and try to blast through tackles inside. It didn’t work out that well, and Gordon has an average yards per carry of less than 4.0 yards every year except two.

He’s not a power back and instead will fall upon first contact. I give him credit for trying to be a “banger” between the tackles, but I’d like to see him in space more where he could use his moves and speed to create more space.

In addition to the way he could thrive as a runner (with more space on the outside), Gordon is a great receiving option out of the backfield. He’s sound in pass protection and can be slashing after the catch. At mandatory minicamp last month, Gordon looked leaner and seemed to have more muscle on his upper body. Even though he’s going to be splitting time, Gordon should get fed the rock often this season.

Williams was a player the Broncos coveted so much that they moved up early in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft to get him. He was my No. 1 running back in this draft class, as I had him ranked higher than Najee Harris (Alabama) and Travis Etienne (Clemson) – both who went in the first round. Williams had a first-round grade by many teams, and that’s why he didn’t stay on the board for long when day two of the draft began.

I’m a sucker for power backs, and Williams is the true definition of a power back. He runs with authority that few backs do, and Williams is incredibly tough to bring down. In 2020, Williams led all FBS running backs with 75 broken tackles. When there is no room left to run, Williams chooses violence and will blast holes open. He starts violently and finishes with the same vigor, registering an FBS-high 72 rushes that went for first downs last year.

He’s got an instinct for running the ball. Williams has great field vision and can find cutback lanes others can’t see. He has great burst when he gets the handoff, and Williams uses that burst to get to and through the hole quickly. Once at the second level of the defense, Williams begins punishing would-be tacklers. Williams does not have long speed but can rip off big runs because of his initial burst and willingness to grind through arm tackles.

Not only can Williams work well as a ball-carrier, but he is also a good option as a receiver out of the backfield. He worked in a RBBC in college with the explosive Michael Carter, but Williams still saw 30 targets and 24 receptions in 2020. Williams is very strong and good in pass protection meaning he could get on the field quicker than other backs teams don’t trust to protect the quarterback.

Williams is also incredibly bright. He turned down going to Yale coming out of high school and chose North Carolina instead. That intelligence makes him a quick learner and should get him on the field early and often. Williams will split time with Gordon, but there’s a good chance he ends the 2021 season with more carries. That means Gordon could get more receptions, but either way there should be plenty of work for both.

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Reserves: Mike Boone, Royce Freeman, LeVante Bellamy, Damarea Crockett, Andrew Beck (FB/TE), Adam Prentice (FB)

Mike Boone was undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2018. The Minnesota Vikings picked him up and he thrived as a special teams player. When he hit free agency earlier this year, former Vikings executive (and current Broncos general manager) George Paton picked him up. Paton clearly knows Boone’s game and knows he can help out this team in 2021.

In fact, Boone may be in for more work on offense than some think. It’s a 17-game season and Gordon does not have a history of making it through a full season unscathed. Boone hasn’t had much time on offense, but when he did, he produced. There was a game in Week 17 of the 2019 season where Boone had almost 150 yards rushing when he got to start.

The Broncos don’t need just two running backs, they need three this season. That’s where Boone comes in. He was one of the most impressive players at mandatory minicamp, and he might have been the best player on the field. Boone looked incredibly explosive with the ball in his hands and was incredibly fast as a receiver out of the backfield. His role will be smaller than Williams and Gordon, but he’s an important player for what the team wants to do – and he can contribute on special teams.

Royce Freeman was supposed to be better than this. A third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Freeman was set to be the team’s starter. Instead, he was beat out by undrafted free agent Phillip Lindsay and played as a reserve. In 2019, the team set things up for Freeman to be the “main man” again – and again he was beat out by Lindsay. In 2020, Freeman was a reserve player who barely saw the field.

I think Freeman has lost confidence as a player. The skill is still there with Freeman, but he has yet to put it all together. He’s got good size and natural instincts for running the ball. He’s not a bad option as a receiver either. Freeman may not make the 53-man roster for the Broncos but could find success elsewhere.

LeVante Bellamy has some Phillip Lindsay to his game. Like Lindsay, Bellamy is a smaller back who loves to run inside the tackles and can have success doing so. Added as a priority free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft, Bellamy spent his rookie season bouncing on and off the practice squad and active roster. He’s a speedy player with good burst as a runner. I’d like to see him improve his game as a receiver, and that’s the way he could get some time on offense during the regular season.

Damarea Crockett is an interesting depth player. He was a college teammate of Drew Lock at Missouri, and Crockett is more of a scat back in terms of rushing style. Even though he’s 225 pounds, Crockett does not play with power. Instead, he tries to use juke moves and sharp cuts to get to and through the hole. He’s not much of a receiver out of the backfield and is a long shot to make the roster.

Andrew Beck is listed as a tight end/fullback on the official roster. You can line up Beck all over the field, tight end, fullback and H-back. He’s good enough as a blocker and a decent receiver who might get some targets here and there. Beck is not a super powerful blocker but he’s a jack-of-all-trades who should make the final roster due to his versatility.

The Broncos want to have a physical rushing attack in 2021, so it makes sense they would add a fullback to the roster like Adam Prentice as an undrafted free agent. He was a graduate transfer at South Carolina, but he started his college career as a walk on at Colorado State. Prentice is a fullback who can blast open holes for his running back, and he can be trusted as a relief-valve receiver.

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Summary

The Broncos are going to be a run-heavy offense in 2021. Williams should lead the way on the ground, but Gordon is going to get a lot of work too. They will beat you up on defense, then they’ll use Williams to bludgeon opposing defenses. Gordon will be used as a slasher in space who can rip off big plays.

Behind those two, Boone could get a few snaps here and there on offense. The Broncos will have a strong rushing attack for a couple of reasons.

First, it plays to the strength of the team – the defense. The ground game is always tied to the defense, and they go hand in hand. Second, the quarterback situation means the team is going to have a pedestrian passing game – despite having some world-class receivers. To keep things simple for the quarterback, the Broncos will run the ball a lot. That means Williams and Gordon will help lead the way to what the Broncos hope is a return to the postseason in 2021.

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