Joseph is looking for two or three “core backs” to rev running game
EDITOR’S NOTE: First of a series looking at the position groups for the Broncos heading into camp.
Each season from 2012-16, two Broncos running backs had at least 100 carries.
Coach Vance Joseph wants a return to that divided workload.
“We want two or three guys to be our main core backs,” Joseph said during minicamp last month. But which two or three guys? The Broncos have five tailbacks — Devontae Booker, De’Angelo Henderson, Royce Freeman, David Williams and Phillip Lindsay — likely competing for four spots. Andy Janovich is the only fullback on the roster.
NFL teams have differing philosophies at the tailback position: Workhorse or by committee.
Last year, 16 teams had a player with at least 200 carries, including seven playoff clubs. C.J. Anderson led the Broncos with 245 attempts, but is now with Carolina following his release.
Sixteen teams — half the league — had two backs with at least 100 carries.
“Every place is unique and different,” new Broncos running backs coach Curtis Modkins
said. “The bottom line in this league is, you need (two) or three guys with diverse skills to get you through a season.”
Joseph said “somebody’s got to be the starter,” which means the first snap of the game and nothing more. At the start of camp, that figures to be Booker, who has the experience edge (29 games) over his competition.
But there is a reason the Broncos used a third- (Freeman) and seventh-round (Williams) draft pick and signed Lindsay after the draft: Booker’s per-carry average of 3.6 yards is 27th out of the 29 backs in 201617 who had at least 250 carries (Booker had 253).
“He’s got to come out and work and earn the right to be the (first) guy,” Joseph said. “He understands that with C.J. gone, it’s a wide open race. He’s a good football player, but we want more from him, obviously.”
Henderson was a sixthround pick last year and played only 20 snaps (seven rushes). His roster spot is far from secure.
Freeman is the most likely challenger to supplant Booker, or at the very least, be the top reserve. He scored 60 rushing touchdowns at Oregon and caught 79 passes, so he is not totally foreign to play- ing an all-around game. But the Broncos have only seen him on their practice field in noncontact drills.
“It’s hard to evaluate a running back without pads, but you can see his cutting ability,” Joseph said. “You can see the vision he has when he’s carrying the football. He also catches the ball well.”
Williams and Lindsay could be fighting for one roster spot and it may depend on what type of player the Broncos prefer.
If they want the bigger, more prototypical back, Williams (229 pounds) would be the favorite.
If they want the changeof-pace back, Lindsay (190 pounds) could emerge.
Williams averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 42 games for South Carolina (three years) and Arkansas (one year).
Lindsay had 117 catches in college and after watching him dart around the field in offseason practices, it’s not difficult to envision him having a package of plays.
As much as the Broncos will say they have time to make a decision, that is hardly the case. Once the pads go on, it will be a race to determine roles, ideally, by the third preseason game.
“We have a lot of running backs and they all can do similar things,” Booker said. “We’re just looking forward to seeing what we all can do.” Saturday: Linebackers.