Even though the Denver Broncos added RJ Harvey through the draft, there are still questions about the team's running back room. Harvey could be a great addition, but the rookie's third-down usage is in question, due to concerns about his pass protection and receiving ability.
After Harvey, the Broncos are betting on development from Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson. So, while Harvey could be a great piece, there's a valid concern about a room around him lacking an experienced veteran.
It's all the more pressing, considering that the Broncos fielded one of the NFL's worst rushing offenses last season. With May almost in the books, Denver's ability to improve the room is limited, but a handful of veterans could be available via a trade.
Let's examine four running backs the Broncos would be wise to at least pick up the phone and check on.
The Jaguars may be willing to move on from Etienne, as he is in the final year of his contract and they have options behind him. The Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen last month, and have Tank Bigsby and Keilan Robinson on the roster. With Etienne in the final year of his deal with the other options the Jaguars have, they could decide to move on.
While Etienne wouldn’t solve the Broncos' problems for a pass-blocking back, he'd provide solid receiving options and quality rushing. In three years, Etienne has two seasons breaking 1,000 rushing yards, and while he has six career fumbles, five of them came in his rookie season. His usage was cut in 2024, and he also missed two games with an injury, but he still had some success working in varied rushing schemes.
The issue is that Etienne's efficiency has been terrible for two seasons. That would be a risk for the Broncos, but it would likely keep his cost low.
Etienne would cost Denver over $6.1 million on the salary cap for 2025, but then he would be an unrestricted free agent. Likely a one-year rental for Denver, it would keep the cost low to acquire him via trade.
Takeaway: While Etienne has a recognizable name and is a former first-round pick, he isn’t the type of player the Broncos should be looking for in a trade, as he would complicate their plans to use Harvey.
Before the draft, it was reported that the Jets would make Hall available via trade if they landed Asthon Jeanty. The Jets didn’t land Jeanty, so Hall may not be available via trade.
The Jets also have Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, both added via the 2024 draft. Allen was the Jets' more efficient back last season, so with the new coaching staff, they could decide to make a change and move Hall.
While Hall isn’t a great blocker, he is decent enough and would improve the Broncos' pass protection ability from the position. He can also be a threat as a receiver, though drops have been a significant issue for Hall throughout his career.
Hall is a good runner and can fit in with what the Broncos do in their running schemes, and he's efficient. However, he does have a serious issue with fumbles with nine in his career, six of them last season.
So, there would be a risk with Hall due to the fumbling issues and concerns over his receiving ability. He could still make an impact as part of the room and might be better suited working in tandem with someone like Harvey.
The cost to acquire Hall wouldn't be a lot, nor would his hit to the salary cap be, as Hall would count for only a little over $3.4 million in 2025. He, like Etienne, would run the risk of being a short-term rental as he is also entering a contract year
Takeaway: Hall has clear issues on the field that you’d hope a change of scenery would improve, but he would upgrade one key area the Broncos need, although he'd come with some risk relative to ball security. There may be cheaper and better options in free agency if they want to target a pass protector specifically.
The Seahawks have reportedly made two running backs available in a trade, with Walker being the one they want to move more. Zach Charbonnet is the other back, but the Seahawks reportedly want to keep him, which might mean they will have a higher asking price for him than they would for Walker.
Walker has similar issues as Etienne, as he isn’t a pass protector. Walker is one of the worst pass-protecting running backs in the NFL, but he is a competent receiver and a solid runner. Because of his talent in those two areas of his game, he can help lift the floor of the Broncos room.
But pass protection is the priority, as the Broncos don’t currently have one in their running back room. Walker would be a good option for Denver, though, because he has only two drops and two fumbles in his career. Outside of 2024, he's been an efficient runner, and in 2024, he had issues upfront with the offensive line, which wouldn't be the case in Denver.
Guess what? Walker is another player at risk of being a one-year rental, but he is the cheapest option so far. He would only cost $1.85 million against the salary cap, which could easily fit within the Broncos' salary-cap situation.
Takeaway: Despite not being a pass protector, Walker would still be a decent addition because he could help the passing game as a receiver and the offense as a runner. He would balance out well with Harvey and give the Broncos another between-the-tackles option as a runner.
Even with Bijan Robinson, the Falcons still need a backup, but with Allgeier in the final year of his deal, they could look elsewhere for that player. Trading Allgeier would give Atlanta some capital back, instead of aiming for a compensatory pick, which he may not even bring.
Allgeier is the best option on this list because he is, by far, the best pass protector among these four backs. He's one of the better pass-protecting backs in the NFL, and he also would upgrade the Broncos' rushing ability between the tackles. While his receiving usage has been limited, he's decent enough to be used there, but if the Broncos believe in Harvey as a receiver, pass-catching prowess is less important for a new addition.
Allgeier might actually cost the most to acquire via a trade, but he'd be the cheapest option on the salary cap, as he would count only $1.1 million if the Broncos picked him up. At the very least, it would be well worth a call as his pass protection would be a massive upgrade and give Denver a legit runner between the tackles and in short-yardage situations, beyond Estime.
Takeaway: The Broncos should make the call and try to make a trade here. It would give them the upgrades now, and if Estime makes significant improvements this season, the Broncos could let Allgeier walk in free agency.
If Estime doesn’t make those improvements, the Broncos could work on bringing Allgeier back. He would fill their biggest needs at the position while giving the team options in the room going forward.
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First-year head coach Pete Carroll is tinkering with the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive line early in training camp. On Tuesday, second-year offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson was moved to the second-team unit at center, with Jordan Meredith handling the first-team reps, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic. On Thursday, Powers-Johnson was moved to the first-team right guard. The Raiders initially wanted Powers-Johnson to play at center in the upcoming season, but "changed their mind" when they released veteran Andre James in March. "Powers-Johnson started games at guard last year, but the intent was for him to lock in on center after the team released Andre James this offseason," Reed wrote. "That was the case through OTAs, but the staff changed their mind once training camp got rolling. "According to coach Pete Carroll, the logic is Meredith is too small to play guard but holds up well at center. They signed Alex Cappa to start at right guard, but Powers-Johnson is a superior option there." Meredith, a six-foot-two, 300-pound athlete, is decidedly much smaller than the six-foot-three, 328-pound Powers-Johnson. Carroll believes the competition between Meredith and Powers-Johnson this summer will ultimately make the team better. "It's the heart of everything," Carroll told reporters on Thursday regarding the battle at center between Meredith and Powers-Johnson, via video from Taylor Rocha. "These guys are battling for their playing time... JPJ is working his tail off, and both those guys are battling, so it just makes us better." It's hard to see the Raiders benching Powers-Johnson if Meredith earns the starting center job. He should at least earn the starting right guard job after he made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2024. He is too talented not to start for Las Vegas.
With Mitch Marner gone and several names added by general manager Brad Treliving, the Toronto Maple Leafs may be pressing pause on any further moves. That said, depending on how the season unfolds for several teams, action could pick up midseason, with the NHL trade deadline becoming an important time for Toronto. One report suggests the Maple Leafs could make a major push for Alex Tuch. The Buffalo Sabres winger is legit, but often underappreciated in a market where the team has struggled for years. He’s on the final season of $4.75 million deal and set to hit free agency with a hefty pay raise coming. According to NHL analyst Matteo Giuluano of EditorInLeaf, Tuch is the ideal rental for the Maple Leafs. Why Would the Leafs Go After Tuch This Season? Tuch, a 6-foot-4 winger entering the final year of his contract with the Buffalo Sabres, a team that often surprises everyone by the decisions they make. On the surface, there would be no reason to get rid of Tuch. However, the Sabres often run counter to conventional wisdom. Tuch adds a strong mix of skill and physicality to Buffalo’s top six. He could easily do the same in Toronto. He’s coming off a 67-point season and could slot perfectly alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the top line—offering a power-forward presence well-suited for Craig Berube’s system. The Sabres have said they don’t plan to trade Tuch, but as Giuluano notes, feelings may change if the team falls out of contention or Tuch hints he’s set to explore the market. Tuch would then become one of the most affordable and valuable rentals in the NHL. For the Maple Leafs, the deal wouldn’t be about extending the forward. Frankly, they probably couldn’t afford to do so. Still, landing Tuch would address their need to find a top offensive producer with Marner out and add someone with playoff experience (he as 66 games on his NHL resume). If he hits the market, Toronto should be ready to pounce.
The Los Angeles Angels have just a few more hours until the trade deadline, and a former player recently called out his former squad for not selling. The Halos are four games back from the final Wild Card spot and recently brought in a pair of veteran relievers, but retired centerfielder Cameron Maybin thinks that the Angels should be parting ways with more pieces to build towards the future. "What are the Angels waiting for," asked Maybin on his Twitter/X account. "...start selling already!" Maybin went a step further, later asserting that closer Kenley Jansen was signed purely for trade deadline movement. "Dodgers might as well go get Kenley Jansen back at this point," Maybin wrote on X. "Pretty sure he signed with the Angels just to make the trade deadline commute smoother. "Just feels right to me!" If the Angels believe that they can make a run, holding onto a revered closer such as Jansen is certainly what the correct course of action is. After the Halos acquired Luis Garcia and Andrew Chafin from the Washington Nationals, for Jake Eder and minor leaguer Sam Brown on Wednesday, it looks like it could be the start of building a contender for this season. Another piece that the Halos would get a ton of value from is adding another starting pitcher. Perhaps flipping an expiring contract for a rotational piece so as not to give up a prospect keeps the Angels in contention for 2025, but doesn't mess with the future of the franchise. Regardless of what happens next, the Angels are still a piece or two away from being seen as a team that can make an impact in October. If the Halos do, in fact, start selling as Maybin urged, the deals must start coming in before 3:00 p.m PT.
The New York Yankees are set to acquire right-handed closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates, ESPN and the New York Post reported Thursday. The Pirates will receive three minor leaguers from New York: top catching prospect Rafael Flores, fellow catcher Edgleen Perez and outfielder Brian Sanchez, per the reports. Bednar, 30, is 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA and has 17 saves in 42 appearances for the Pirates this season. The two-time All-Star is 14-23 with a 3.23 ERA and 101 saves in 293 relief appearances over seven seasons with the San Diego Padres (2019-20) and Pirates (2021-25). The Yankees now have three relievers with closer experience in the bullpen with Bednar, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. The Williams-Weaver duo has combined for 25 saves this season with Wiliams recording 17 of them. Flores, 24, is batting .279 with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs in 97 combined games at Double-A and Triple-A in the Yankees' system this season. The undrafted Orange County, Calif., native was in the Yankees organization for four seasons. Perez, 19, and Sanchez, 21, are playing at Single-A this season.