Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently ranked all 32 backfields in the NFL, and the Denver Broncos are ranked 29th (fourth-worst in the league). The Broncos do not have a household name in their running back room with Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine their go-to ball carriers.
Without a star in the room, the Broncos’ running back group will have to retake the committee approach to getting their offense up to speed. But PFF has little to no optimism for the group.
“Undrafted rookie Jaleel McLaughlin was the bright spot of the Broncos’ rushing attack last season, posting an 84.5 PFF rushing grade on 76 carries,” Sikkema wrote on PFF’s website. “The big disappointment was Javonte Williams, who earned just a 64.4 rushing grade after recovering from a major knee injury in 2022. Perhaps Williams just needed a year to get his confidence back, because he was a highly touted running back in the 2022 NFL draft.”
Will Williams, fully recovered from his 2022 injury, get ready to lead the Denver running back group to a productive ground attack in 2024? Or will McLaughlin play a more significant role? The Broncos also added Audric Estimé and Blake Watson to the roster this spring. We’ll see if the group can outperform PFF’s low ranking this fall.