The Broncos don’t look like a team with a long list of glaring problems heading into 2026. That’s why the biggest issue on the board may end up being a quieter one - but one that could decide how high this team can climb.
Training camp is still about a month away, and Denver is in that familiar dead zone before the real work starts. Even so, the question hovering over this roster is already pretty clear: how does the Broncos’ running back room shake out?
That group has changed fast since Sean Payton arrived in 2023. Denver brought in J.K.
Dobbins during the 2025 NFL offseason, then spent a second-round pick on RJ Harvey in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Broncos kept adding, too, using a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Jonah Coleman.
So the shape of the room is obvious enough. Dobbins, Harvey and Coleman are the names that matter, and they’re likely to account for every snap at the position. The real challenge is figuring out how those snaps get divided in a way that actually works.
That’s where the problem gets tricky. If all three are effective, all three need work.
But if all three are getting touches, there’s also a real chance none of them gets into much of a groove. It’s the kind of good problem teams love to have until it starts clogging up the offense.
And then there’s Dobbins, who sits at the center of the whole thing. Broncos fans already saw what he can do over 10 games in 2025, when he averaged five yards per carry and was on pace for more than 1,300 rushing yards. The catch is obvious: keeping him healthy matters just as much as getting the most out of him.
Denver’s offense finished the season with Bo Nix heating up over the final month, and it happened without much help from the run game. That’s why the upside here feels so obvious. If the ground game gets sorted out and stays efficient, the Broncos’ offense could look a lot different.
Coleman’s arrival makes it feel possible that Dobbins won’t be asked to carry as much of the load. The logic is simple: fewer carries could mean fewer hits, fewer cuts and a better chance to keep him on the field. But that only works if Harvey or Coleman are efficient enough to justify that approach, and right now that’s not a guarantee.
In the end, Broncos Country may not care which back gets the ball. What matters is whether the whole unit produces.
With defenses getting better at taking away the deep pass, the run game has regained some value around the league. Denver’s front office has already made three notable moves to fix this spot, and how that plays out in 2026 will say a lot about just how high this team’s ceiling really is.
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Broncos Uniform Overhaul Is Getting The NFL Respect Fans Wanted
When the Broncos rolled out the Mile High Collection for 2024, it was clear the franchise wanted the new look to do more than just freshen up the closet. The mix of the 77 Throwbacks and the Midnight Navy set was built to lean into Denver and Colorado identity, and the early reaction around the league has backed up the idea that this was more than a cosmetic tweak.
Sports Illustrateds Mike Kadlick slotted Denver 10th in his ranking of all 32 NFL teams uniform combinations, a solid sign that the overhaul is getting the respect fans were hoping for. The Broncos landed behind a handful of other clubs, with the Chargers at No. 1 and several familiar rivals grouped around them, which only adds a little extra edge as the team moves toward training camp and gets ready to show the new threads on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Three Broncos Backups Could Quietly Decide Denver's 2026 Ceiling
The Broncos ceiling in 2026 may have as much to do with the back end of the roster as the names at the top of it. Malcolm Roach has already shown he can help on the defensive line, and with John Franklin-Myers gone in free agency, there is a path for his workload to matter more if Denver leans on his run defense and pass rush production. It is the kind of quiet swing factor that rarely gets the spotlight in July but can shape how sturdy a defense looks by the time the season starts.
Inside linebacker is murkier, with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad ahead of a spot that is still very much up for grabs. The Broncos also have a rookie tight end in Justin Joly who has a realistic chance to stick and could fit as a receiving option in the TE3 conversation, which adds another layer to a roster battle worth watching. If Denver gets useful answers from those backup jobs, the 2026 roster starts looking a lot deeper and a lot more complete. [Read more 🡒]
Jaleel McLaughlin Sends Clear Message As Broncos Role Remains Unsettled
Jaleel McLaughlin has spent much of his Broncos tenure fighting for touches, but his stance on staying in Denver has been clear. Even with his playing time limited, the running back has made it plain that he wants to keep building here, drawn to the team, the city and the chance to win with the Broncos rather than look elsewhere for a bigger role.
That kind of patience matters in a backfield that still feels unsettled, where every rep can shape the pecking order. McLaughlins commitment gives Denver a little stability, even if his path to a larger workload remains unclear, and it fits the profile of a player willing to wait out the depth chart as long as the long-term payoff stays in view. [Read more 🡒]