Although the Broncos brought back each Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin this offseason, neither figures to be too near the team’s starting lineup. Denver moves in free agency and the draft should see to that.
The Broncos re-signed J.K. Dobbins to a two-year, $16MM deal that included $8MM guaranteed at signing. This got here after the team made what it viewed as a competitive offer for Travis Etienne, who signed with the Saints. Weeks later, Denver drafted Washington’s Jonah Coleman within the fourth round. Dobbins, Coleman and 2025 second-round pick RJ Harvey are positioned because the Broncos’ top three running backs, and the Denver Post’s Luca Evans notes this likely leaves McLaughlin and Badie battling for one roster spot.
With Dobbins among the many NFL’s most injury-prone players in a few years, the Broncos kept 4 RBs on their 53-man roster last season. The team carried each McLaughlin and Badie after the August roster-setting deadline, though the latter saw motion first while the ex-Javonte Williams sidekick was a healthy scratch in the course of the portion of the season by which Dobbins was healthy. Nevertheless, Dobbins’ Lisfranc injury reopened the door for McLaughlin, who impressed in limited duty.
The Broncos retained Badie, an ERFA, on a one-year, $1.1MM deal. Nontendered as an RFA, McLaughlin re-signed for $1.43MM ($125K guaranteed) days later. While McLaughlin outpaced Badie in guarantees, that can make little (if any) difference in a roster battle. Each players beat out Audric Estime for spots last yr, but with Coleman now rostered, the Broncos almost definitely won’t have room for each vets.
Badie, a 2022 Ravens sixth-round pick who landed in Denver later that yr, didn’t make much of a statistical contribution last season; he totaled just 164 scrimmage yards in 16 games (though, the Missouri alum did average 7.4 per carry on 19 totes). The NCAA’s all-divisions rushing leader, McLaughlin totaled 570 scrimmage yards in 2023 and 572 in ’24. Despite the run of healthy scratches, the 5-foot-7 back outcarried Dobbins (37 handoffs) and averaged 5.1 per rush. Badie’s pass-protection skills remain a core component of his roster candidacy, Evans adds.
Each players would wish to clear waivers if cut next month, as neither has 4 years of accrued service time. Denver could definitely try and keep each by stashing one on the practice squad, assuming the competition’s loser clears waivers, with a roster promotion potentially within the cards if Dobbins hits IR once more. Dobbins has frolicked on IR in each of the past five years. While McLaughlin teamed with Harvey as Denver’s primary ballcarriers once Dobbins went down last season, Coleman can be positioned to play that role if the veteran misses time again.