The Denver Broncos finally got a weight off their shoulders last season, snapping their long playoff drought with Bo Nix taking over at quarterback. After moving on from Russell Wilson, the locker room was buzzing, and Nix delivered a first year that Broncos fans had been waiting nearly a decade to see.
That energy carried straight into the offseason. With a defense already near the top of the league and each pressing need addressed, Denver looks like a team ready to break out in 2025. But the excitement comes with a twist. A crowded running back room after the team drafted RJ Harvey. Now, the question is hanging over training camp: Which Broncos back is about to get left out?
Who Will the Broncos Cut From Their Crowded Running Back Room?
Looking back at the 2024-25 campaign, the Broncos had an average offense, but their run game couldn’t find its footing. Finishing 23rd in rushing touchdowns and with no back crossing the 600-yard mark, Denver became way too predictable and put a lot on Nix’s shoulders.
As solid as his rookie year was, the Broncos knew they couldn’t keep relying on their quarterback for everything. They had to mix things up.
That led to a big spring shakeup. The team picked RJ Harvey out of UCF in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft and added J.K. Dobbins in free agency. With those two atop the depth chart, backs Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin seem to be fighting for just one roster spot.
This situation gets trickier when you consider that, according to PFSN’s Jacob Infante, McLaughlin’s age puts him most at risk. The two backs are close in production and skill set, but the third-year McLaughlin could be the odd man out.
“Who’s going to be the odd man out in the Denver Broncos’ backfield? It won’t be RJ Harvey, seeing as though they just used a second-round pick on him,” Infante wrote. “It probably won’t be JK Dobbins, as he just had 905 yards and nine touchdowns last season. That leaves either Audric Estime or Jaleel McLaughlin as a potential cut candidate.
Jaleel McLaughlin disappears into a sea of Bears defenders, then pops out for a touchdown. So impressive. pic.twitter.com/LOXcvttZai
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) October 1, 2023
“It’s a good problem to have too many solid backs, but it’s one that could affect McLaughlin in the end. Though he has the speed and receiving advantage over Estime, the latter is three years younger, has more special teams experience and brings more power in between the tackles.”
Given the Broncos are unlikely to carry four running backs on the 53-man roster, either McLaughlin or Estime will have to be cut or traded. Since McLaughlin is older and still playing on a UDFA contract, he’s the obvious choice according to Infante.
Adding to the challenge, McLaughlin, 24, wasn’t efficient last season. He racked up 113 carries but managed just 496 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. Across his two years in Denver, he totaled 189 carries for 906 yards and two touchdowns.
