Broncos RBs beyond Harvey, Dobbins are going to make Payton’s roster decisions difficult

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos’ running back competition doesn’t exist at the top of the depth chart. There, J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey appear to have their timeshare on lockdown, their skills and experience meshing well.

It’s farther down.

And during practices Wednesday and Thursday, it saw the team’s two second-year running backs, Audric Estimé and Blake Watson, make their moves.

“[Wednesday] was one of the better days for some of those guys,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “Blake had two or three exceptional runs. Audric has stacked a couple of days. So it will be the body of work.”

Thursday, Estimé had a burst up the gut that saw him explode with unexpected speed, which followed a practice that saw him rip off multiple solid runs the gut.

Watson, meanwhile, had one of the best plays of the one-on-one period Thursday, freezing linebacker Justin Strnad on a stutter wheel route down the right flank of the field. That period played to Watson’s strengths as a former wide receiver, but served as a reminder of what he brings: superior route-running ability.

Among Estimé, Watson and Tyler Badie, there may be room for only one on the Broncos’ initial 53-man roster coming out of the preseason.

And then there is 187-pounder Jaleel McLaughlin, the Broncos’ leading returning rusher who factors as what Payton calls a “change-of-pace” back, he’s been a frequent target of Bo Nix during training camp as he works to refine his skills as a receiver.

McLaughlin nearly had the type of dynamic play that Watson made in the one-on-one period, getting four steps of separation from Karene Reid on a downfield route, but he could not reel in the pass with his outstretched hands.

But McLaughlin has dynamic runs on a daily basis. And the body of work over two years stands in his favor, too — with a role that perhaps suits him better than the one he had last year.

“I think he continues to work on the passing game element relative to what he does,” Payton said.

And in the coach’s eyes, the best is yet to come for him in camp.

“He’s got really good quickness and agility. You don’t get to appreciate him until it’s tackle, and then you appreciate him because he didn’t get tackled. It’s a little harder. I can remember the first time in San Francisco (in 2023) where we’re thinking this is going to be a good young practice squad developmental back, and a hundred some yards later. He’s not going to get to any practice squad.

“So I think you appreciate, and it gets back to that position, you get to see a little bit more when it’s tackle and their yards after contact. How do they go down all those other things.”

One thing seems apparent this week: Even with Harvey and Dobbins, none of the other running backs will go down from the roster easy if they don’t stick around at the deadline.

PLAY OF THE DAY

During a red-zone period at the end of practice, the familiar Nix-to-Courtland Sutton combination struck gold when the eight-year veteran receiver worked free in the end zone past Riley Moss for an 8-yard touchdown catch.

ATTENDANCE REPORT

Edge rusher Que Robinson and inside linebackers Drew Sanders (foot) and Alex Singleton (thumb) did not practice. Rookie edge rusher Johnny Walker Jr. was placed on injured reserve; the Broncos added Garrett Nelson, a Nebraska product, to take his spot on the roster.

BRONCOS CAMP NOTES

The Broncos ditched pads for the practice after three consecutive days in full pads. “It’s a little bit more of the tempo like our OTAs,” Payton said.

Payton paid particular attention to the one-on-one drill with the running backs running routes against the linebackers. “You’re giving them basically four to five routes that they would be running. It’s man-to-man. So there are some routes the back might run versus zone, you wouldn’t work on that. So just separation, suddenness, awareness, timing, and the linebackers the same way are working on their leverage,” Payton said. “There are probably four routes that you’re working on, and it’s technique, and then the separation the same way for the linebackers playing their leverage the right way.”

That drill saw Dre Greenlaw pull up while covering Dobbins due to a leg issue. He didn’t practice the rest of the day.

Red-zone work was the point of emphasis during the team periods.

The Broncos also spent part of the practice working on pre-snap cadences, Payton explained. “It needs to be just as much instructional [as] situational,” he said.

WHAT’S NEXT

A Friday morning practice at 10 a.m. MDT. Preceding it will be a topping-out ceremony for the new headquarters building at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.

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