A New Report Links Disgruntled NFL Rushing Champ to Broncos
The Denver Broncos spent a majority of the 2023 offseason building up the team’s run game infrastructure.
With the signings of Mike McGlinchey and Ben Grubbs along the offensive line, as well as skill players Samaje Perine, Michael Burton, and Chris Manhertz, it seems obvious that head coach Sean Payton believed the Broncos had to get bigger and stronger, and more impactful in the run game in order to help Russell Wilson and the offense succeed.
As Payton stated back in February, a strong run game can help take the quarterback off the “high dive,” and a majority of Denver’s transactions have shown that belief. The Broncos might not be done adding to their rushing arsenal, however.
NBC Sports' Mike Florio recently linked the Broncos to the NFL's reigning rushing champ Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders. According to a source, Florio stated that Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are the most interested in Jacobs if he were to hit the market before the start of the upcoming season.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Chiefs and Broncos are among the teams interested in Jacobs. And while the Broncos could be a considerable way from contender status, they’d be an option at the right price.
While it appears that the Chiefs would be the most likely destination for the Raiders’ 2019 first-round draft pick, given the team’s redoubtable status as a Super Bowl contender, the Broncos would still be possible “at the right price,” states Florio. It appears that if the Broncos want to bring in Jacobs if he were to hit the market, the team would have to pay him like a big-time back.
Adding Jacobs would turn the Broncos’ running back room into one of the better groups on paper in the league. With third-year running back Javonte Williams and the recently acquired Perine, the Broncos would have a litany of options out of the backfield in both the run and pass game.
Given Payton’s propensity to add multiple quality running backs during his time as the head coach in New Orleans, perhaps the Broncos wouldn’t shy away from what many would consider an overinvestment at the running back position.
Coming off of a stellar 2022 season rushing the ball 330 times for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns while also notching 53 receptions for 400 yards, Jacobs would become the focal point of the Broncos’ offense. This would inevitably limit the overall touches for the other running backs, but with questions surrounding Williams coming off last season’s multi-ligament knee injury and Perine not having eclipsed 150 touches since his rookie season way back in 2017, a Jacobs addition would alleviate a lot of concerns in the Broncos’ backfield.
With news of Williams’ near-miraculous recovery from last season’s knee injury as well as the money invested in Perine this offseason, paying Jacobs a large contract to come to Denver doesn’t seem extremely likely at this point in time — assuming the Raiders even rescind the franchise tag on the uber-productive running back.
However, with Denver’s reported interest in Jacobs, it might be worthwhile for Broncos Country to monitor the status and performances of the team’s current running backs as well as the market for other possible running back additions prior to the start of the 2023 regular season.
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