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Broncos Predicted to Part Ways With Second-Year Running Back

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 4:45 PM ET

After losing Javonte Williams to free agency, the depth of the Denver Broncos' running back room has increased significantly over the past few months.

The Broncos first added youth to the unit through the 2025 NFL Draft, during which they used their second-round (60th overall) pick on RJ Harvey, a two-year starter at UCF. Then, they signed J.K. Dobbins to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million on June 11, providing veteran experience to a positional group that lacked it.

The trimming of rosters from 90 men (for the Broncos, technically 91, since they have an exemption due to punter Jeremy Crenshaw being part of the NFL's international player pathway program) to 53, through, will create a squeeze at a number of positions, including running back.

Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan's Andrew Mason believes Audric Estime, who is heading into his season season in the league, could be the odd man out – and the running back most likely to be on the Broncos' roster bubble.

"The fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had his chances, starting with Week 1. But — figuratively and literally — he fumbled them, starting with when he put the ball on the ground in Week 1. Jaleel McLaughlin fumbled that day, too. But there’s a difference; that was — and remains — the only fumble for McLaughlin in 247 regular-season or postseason touches," Mason wrote. "Estime, meanwhile, returned to the lineup five weeks later against the Los Angeles Chargers, then lost a fumble four days after that in New Orleans. And if the preseason is included, Estime finished his rookie year with three fumbles in 105 touches — an average of one every 35 touches.

"Unfortunately, that’s how trust ends up fraying to the point where a search goes elsewhere. It didn’t help that the Broncos had the NFL’s No. 1 offensive line in run-block win rate and that didn’t translate to production, a discrepancy Payton noted during offseason work."

Estime, who the Broncos selected with the No. 147 overall pick in last year's draft after three seasons at Notre Dame, appeared in 13 regular season games in 2024. He totaled 310 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 76 carries, in addition to catching five passes for 27 receiving yards.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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