The Denver Broncos were in the market for a running back during the first days of free agency but did not sign any player from outside the organization, ultimately choosing to bring back J.K. Dobbins, who served as the primary running back last season but once again missed games with an injury and finished below 1,000 yards.
Knowing Denver’s interest in a running back, there are still options on the market to form a committee alongside Dobbins and R.J. Harvey, and a veteran currently available could be a viable option to add a new element with different traits to the team’s rushing attack.
Alvin Kamara Listed As Potential Addition for Denver’s Backfield
Alvin Kamara’s time as a centerpiece for the New Orleans Saints appears to have come to an end. The franchise signed Travis Etienne in this free agency and is expected to shift toward a younger running back, while Kamara seems to have reached the stage of decline in his career.
Kamara’s last season was the worst of his career. Until then, in each of his eight seasons in the league, the running back had reached the 1,000 scrimmage yards mark, even though he never reached that milestone purely as a rusher. The truth is that removing the receiving element from his game means ignoring his main strength.
Kamara’s dual-threat ability with the ball in his hands is what makes him, even in his tenth season in the league, an option for teams as a potential addition this season, and for Denver, this is a move that makes sense.
Harvey filled this receiving back role during the season, but having another option could help in the committee.
“Denver brought back J.K. Dobbins, but that is not enough for 2026, ranking No. 29 in PFSN’s RB Impact Metric. Looking for another back makes sense, and head coach Sean Payton is the one who drafted Kamara in 2017 while in New Orleans,” Caleb Yaccarino of PFSN wrote.
The biggest problem for Kamara in 2025 was multiple injuries that limited him to only 11 games during the season, but when healthy, he can still contribute as a third running back on a team or in obvious passing situations where his role is to block or release into a route.
“Kamara dealt with his fair share of injuries last season, but when healthy, he could be a great piece in Denver’s offense. Payton will know how to use the veteran, and because Dobbins can still take some of the workload, it will take pressure off Kamara,” Yaccarino added.
Considering Kamara’s value at this stage of his career and the lack of options left on the market, since the top running backs have already signed contracts, like Kenneth Walker III off to Kansas as well. This would be a cheap and low-risk option for an offense that can still add playmakers to become more dynamic than what we saw in 2025.
