Broncos RBs Are Trying To Create A ‘Three-Headed Monster’

The Denver Broncos are trying to improve their running game, and there are plenty of parts and pieces involved in this effort. Luca Evans of the Denver Post did a positional preview about how they’re doing it, and some interesting nuggets emerged. 

Start with the comments of new running back Jonah Coleman, who’s an ambitious sort who clearly doesn’t lack for confidence. 

“You ultimately have a three-headed monster in the run game,” Coleman told reporters after he was drafted in April.

The biggest question the Broncos face in this area, according to Evans, is how they change their run game identity under new offensive coordinator Davis Webb after the struggles they experienced last year. 

“I think we’ve always wanted to be kind of an outside zone team,” tight end Adam Trautman said last year in training camp, “and we’re just kind of committing to it.”

Unfortunately, though, that didn’t actually happen. According to the stats Evans collected, the Broncos finished with the second-lowest percentage of zone runs (42%) among all AFC teams in 2025. Coach Sean Payton has talked about Webb being a potential fix for this problem, and it’s safe to assume the run game will look a lot different this season. 

The other commentary Evans included in his rundown was about the competition for the fourth running back spot. Right now it’s between Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie, with McLaughlin coming on strong to go from being a healthy scratch to an occasional factor in the run game. 

But McLaughlin’s roster spot is now in jeopardy with Coleman in the mix, so he’s been trying to get stronger to handle more work between the tackles and deliver better results when he does get it. 

“Man, I’ve been out there killing myself in the weight room,” McLaughlin said at a charity event in June. “Spitting up a little bit, throwing up a little bit. But it’s been amazing, and I’ve been working my tail off.”

Badie is trusted by the staff for his pass protection skills, however, and that’s an important part of Denver’s running back equation. Both running backs beat out former fifth round pick Audric Estime to earn a roster spot last year, but they’ll go head to head in a couple of weeks when this year’s camp starts. 

The Broncos will also be adding in Trautman as a full time run blocker and pass protector at fullback, and this could change things as Denver tries to create a new version of the run game.