It can be hard to figure out what direction the Broncos will take with their five selections in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Will the Broncos trade up or down for more picks? Will they continue to add depth on the offensive line after making the trenches a priority in free agency? Will wide receivers Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton get traded for additional selections?
Among the endless possibilities heading into this week’s draft, head coach Sean Payton and general George Paton share the same vision so many NFL decision-makers parrot this time of year: Draft the best player available.
“If the best player on the board is a defensive end or offensive guard, and we have a clear vision, that’ll happen,” Payton said during last week’s pre-draft news conference. “We would look at a list — and we’re not going to share the list with you — but we would look at (it like), ‘These were some things we’d like to get out of this draft if it’s possible.’ But there’s an ‘if’ there, and we recognize that.”
If this is their approach heading into the draft, it wouldn’t be surprising if that led the Broncos to select a running back. It’s one of the deepest groups in this year’s draft, and there’s enough uncertainty in Denver’s running back room outside of free-agent addition Samaje Perine, including Javonte Williams’ return-to-play status, to warrant adding depth at the position.
“If there’s a runner there — no matter what point of the draft — and he’s the best player on our board, we’ll take a running back, that’s for sure,” Paton said. “Like I said earlier with free agency, we addressed enough needs where we can take the best players throughout the draft. We do not need to reach.”
When the NFL’s legal tampering period opened in March, Denver quickly added more depth at running back by signing Perine, who spent the past four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, to a two-year deal.
“You see him on early downs and playing (on) third downs,” Payton said during the NFL owner’s meeting in March. “He’s a good receiver and can block the blitz. He’s big, smart, physical (and) tough.”
When Williams returns, he and Perine can make a solid one-two punch in Denver’s backfield. But how long will the Broncos’ have to wait before Williams is ready to go? The third-year back, who rushed for 903 yards as a rookie, suffered a torn ACL and other damage in Week 4 last season and was sidelined for the rest of the year. Last week, Paton said Williams is progressing well in his rehab. However, the timeline of his return remains a mystery.
“We don’t have a date, but we feel good,” Paton said. “We feel good that he’ll be back this season.”
If Denver opts to take its time with Williams, Perine will most likely enter training camp at the top of the depth chart. Paton said in March that Perine could be a starter, even though the veteran has only started 11 games in his seven-year career.
Outside of Perine, newly-signed running back Tony Jones has 179 career rushing yards in four years, Tyler Badie’s only highlight was a 24-yard touchdown reception in the season-finale against the Chargers, and Damarea Crockett and Tyreik McAllister each had injury issues last year.
Simply put, Denver’s crowded running back room has question marks that could be answered through the draft.
“I think in this group where we have so many backs it’s a pretty deep and talented group,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said.
Texas’ Bijan Robinson is a first-round lock, while Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs might get selected late Thursday or early in the second round. Still, the chances of finding an impactful running back are high.
Players like Texas A&M running back Devon Achane and Tulane’s Tyjae Spears could be available when the Broncos pick in the third round. Achane, who rushed for 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, has elite speed (4.32-second in the 40-yard dash at the Combine) and can contribute in the passing and return game. Spears is coming off a stellar senior season, where he rushed for 1,581 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Illinois’ Chase Brown, UAB’s DeWayne McBride, Syracuse’s Sean Tucker and Georgia’s Kenny McIntosh are prospects Denver could target on Day 3. In McIntosh’s lone season as a starter, he rushed for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 504 yards on 43 receptions for the national champion Bulldogs.
“(McIntosh) is one of the best pass-catching backs,” Jeremiah said. “I think he is going to be a Day 3 guy. I would put that mark probably around the fifth round is about the range of where he hears his name called. Again, really good with the ball in his hands and excellent in the passing game.”
Payton is no stranger to using multiple running backs. In 2017, the former Saints coach drafted Alvin Kamara in the third round despite having Mark Ingram and former All-Pro Adrian Peterson already on the roster. Kamara eventually settled into a four-year run split between Ingram (2017-18) and Latavius Murray (2019-20), eclipsing 200 touches each year while the other backs averaged 199.
“In New Orleans, we were discussing this scenario [where] we had Mark Ingram, and we had just signed Adrian Peterson. We were in a good position,” he said. “Then Kamara fell. We traded back into it and drafted Alvin. Those are value decisions.”
Given the value at running back, Payton may find himself in a similar spot this weekend.
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