NFL RB Rumors: Broncos, Pierce, Jacobs

Last year, the Broncos opted to move on from former second-round running back Javonte Williams, choosing instead to retool that room a bit. While things did improve for Denver in 2025, the team still sought an addition to the room through the draft. According to Jon Heath of Broncos Wire, the team has worked to hone its draft process for running backs, and while Washington rookie Jonah Coleman is a promising prospect, the team had a lot of interest in a pair of other productive rookie rushers.

This year, the Broncos have seen some early returns from Coleman as he gets his sea legs after missing four games earlier in the season. His receiving ability has been a big boost for the team, and it was highlighted in last week’s win over the Chiefs, which also saw Kansas City rookie running back Emmett Johnson explode in the passing game. Head coach Sean Payton express recently that Johnson was a back the Broncos “loved” in the draft, though they preferred (and selected) Coleman.

They might have preferred someone over Coleman, though, as Payton went on to say that they also “really liked” Indiana’s Kaelon Black. Black was taken 18 spots before Denver drafted Coleman. Though he didn’t display it with the Hoosiers, Black had plenty of receiving production before he transferred from James Madison. In San Francisco, behind Christian McCaffrey, Black hasn’t had to dust his receiving chops off the shelf, but in seven games, he’s outpaced Coleman and Johnson in rushing yards.

Here are a few other running back rumors from around the NFL:

• Free agent running back Dameon Pierce was recently given a short window to shine, due to all the injuries in Philadelphia, before he became a victim to the curse himself. The Eagles released him with an injury settlement, after placing him on injured reserve with a minor hamstring injury. Pierce has been rehabbing the injury in Houston, where he spent nearly the entirety of his rookie contract, and according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, he’s been garnering interest from a number of teams. Pierce’s agent, Elton Patterson, reported contact from the Dolphins, Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens, Cardinals, Titans, and 49ers.
• Packers running back Josh Jacobs had been reinstated from the commissioner’s exempt list for two weeks when new abuse allegations surfaced in the media. The NFL has stated its intentions to investigate Jacobs’ situation, but the 28-year-old rusher and his team have seemed adamant that nothing will come of the new information. Per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Jacobs is “operating under the assumption that he won’t have to sit out any more games” this season. He has already been held out of six contests in 2026, which would count against any suspension applied by the league, but Jacobs, who pleaded no contest to the charges that caused his initial absence, doesn’t believe the more recent accusations will result in more missed time.