RJ Harvey spent his offseason looking for edges, and he went straight to the film room.
The Broncos running back said he’s been studying some of the league’s best backs as he tries to sharpen his game heading into a crowded training camp battle for snaps and carries. Harvey, who made his mark as a rookie by finding the end zone often, knows that production alone won’t guarantee a bigger role.
“Just watching more film, watching other guys around the league, watching their film, I’ve been watching a lot of film of Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker, Jahmyr Gibbs, guys like that, just trying to see things on film that they do, trying to help better my game,” Harvey said via Andrew Mason of Denver Sports 104.3. “Year two in the system, I feel way more comfortable and it’s only going to get better from where I left off.”
That rookie season gave Denver plenty to like. Harvey logged 146 carries for 540 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, then added 47 catches for 356 yards and five more scores as a receiver. He was one of the league’s more productive first-year players, but the next jump is a tougher one.
The challenge starts with his size. Harvey was drafted in the second round to be the Broncos’ third-down back, and he delivered in that role.
When Denver tried to work him between the tackles late last season, though, the results were mixed. Coaches and offensive linemen said he seemed to “get it,” but there were also snaps where he was quickly swallowed up before he could get moving.
Now the Broncos have added more competition for those interior carries. J.K.
Dobbins is back and figures to get the first shot at the inside runs, though his health has been the issue. Denver also drafted Jonah Coleman out of Washington, giving the team another option as a bigger back for those snaps.
Harvey has already shown plenty of talent and determination. Even so, he’s facing a steep climb if he wants to turn last year’s impact into a larger workload this season.
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