How J.K. Dobbins Changes the Broncos' RB Room

With the Denver Broncos signing J.K. Dobbins to a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $5.25 million, it shakes up the running back room. There were always questions about which running backs would make it and what roles they would have, especially since no one stood out as a pass protector.

Dobbins is a solid pass protector, but he also has some versatility. When I recently broke down the Broncos' running back room to forecast each player's roster outlook, there was a clear pecking order. Now, with Dobbins signed, let’s look back at my original analysis to see how things changed. 

RJ Harvey

I gave Harvey a 100% chance of making the roster, and that still stands. His draft pedigree and the praise he has received from coaches and teammates throughout the offseason make that clear.

With Dobbins added, there isn’t as much pressure for Harvey as a pass protector, which allows him and the Broncos to focus on bringing him along in other areas for the time being. 

Jaleel McLaughlin & Tyler Badie

McLaughlin and Badie had a 75% and 40% chance, respectively, of making it. Both players take a slight hit with Dobbins added, McLaughlin drops to 60%, and Badie falls to 25%.

There is still a clear role with McLaughlin as the Broncos' slasher back, and Badie had a chance as a pass protector, where he recently drew some praise from Sean Payton, which is why he gets impacted as much as he does.

Blake Watson

The Broncos also have Watson, whom I gave a 5% chance to make it, and that chance now drops to 1% as Watson is the last back on the depth chart, with a wide gap between him and the others. 

Audric Estime

Estime is the back who gets impacted the most, whom I gave a 90% chance of making it, but his outlook drops to 50%. As a fifth-round pick, Estime doesn’t have the same draft pedigree protection as Harvey, and what he brings to the offense is replicated by Dobbins, who also adds pass protection to the offense. 

Estime has also garnered some praise through the offseason programs, but as a short-yardage power back, the Broncos need him to improve his pass protection. The signing of Dobbins suggests that the Broncos' coaches and front office were not pleased with the progress Estime was showing in that area.

Dobbins can replicate the short-yardage aspect Estime brings, albeit in a different way, while bringing much more as a receiver and blocker. Even with Dobbins in the fold, Harvey and McLaughlin still have clear roles by offering something the newcomer can't necessarily replicate. On the other hand, Dobbins can replicate everything Estime brings to the table, although he is a Payton draft pick.

Dobbins

As for Dobbins' chances of making the roster, he is sitting at a 95% chance. The fact that the Broncos were so quick to make this move during their offseason programs suggests they weren’t seeing what they wanted to from their young backs and valued that veteran presence enough to overpay for Dobbins, even on an incentive-laden deal.

He isn’t guaranteed to make it, but he's very close.

With that Being Said...

McLaughlin isn’t guaranteed to make the roster as Dobbins can be used as a slasher to an extent, and Payton could decide that Estime, for the short-yardage, grind-it-out rushing, is more valuable. However, that would hurt some of the explosive ability the Broncos have in the room, which McLaughlin is part of. The Broncos needed much more, though, which led to Harvey in the second round. 

The Takeaway

If Dobbins makes the roster as expected, he will push someone off the roster. The Broncos can’t keep five running backs, and special teams will play a significant role in this decision.

Can Badie, McLaughlin, or Estime show up on special teams to help their case? Even if they can contribute on offense, depth pieces must also contribute to special teams.

Badie and McLaughlin can help as returners next to Marvin Mims Jr. with the updated kickoff rules, but can they do more than that? Does Estime have the ability to be a gunner?

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These are questions Payton has to answer before training camp, as those three backs are competing for two roster spots behind Harvey and Dobbins.