Sean Payton’s words on Wednesday made one thing clear: the Broncos are heading into Arrowhead with real respect for what Steve Spagnuolo does to opposing offenses, and that respect may end up forcing a tough call on rookie running back Jonah Coleman.
Payton didn’t sugarcoat the challenge. The Chiefs’ defense, he said, changes its look depending on what it wants to erase and can turn a game sideways with pressure that creates losses in both the run game and the passing game.
“They mix a lot of looks up," Payton said of the Chiefs. "It all depends on what they’re trying to take away, but they’re well coached, they tackle well. They can create negative plays in both the run and passing game because of the pressure looks that you get."
He doubled down on that point, stressing that Kansas City’s plan is tied to personnel and to the specific threats on the field.
"So a lot of it is the personnel you’re in and then what they’re trying to take away," Payton said.
That matters because the Broncos are days away from opening the regular season at Arrowhead Stadium, and the conversation around who suits up at running back is getting louder. Since the roster was set, there have been rumblings that Tyler Badie, not Coleman, could be the third back on game day.
The logic is easy to follow. NFL teams rarely dress four running backs, not counting a fullback, so if Denver keeps only three active, Badie has a strong case because of what he brings on special teams. Payton pointed to that exact edge when he said Badie beat out Jaleel McLaughlin and Cody Schrader for the fourth and final running back spot because of "the kicking game."
Badie’s role goes well beyond a few offensive snaps. He works as the Broncos’ co-returner with Marvin Mims Jr. on kickoffs, and he also contributes on punt and kick coverage.
He has even served as a punt protector. That combination of special-teams value and third-down utility is why he could end up active over Coleman.
But if the Broncos are choosing based on pure running back talent, Coleman looks like the better bet by a wide margin. He’s listed third on Denver’s first unofficial depth chart of the regular season for a reason.
Coleman was one of the cleaner all-around backs in the 2026 draft class, and the knocks on him were conditioning and straight-line speed. Denver hasn’t seen those concerns carry over. The rookie has kept his body in excellent shape, and at 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, he brings a sturdy frame to the backfield.
He may not run sub-4.5, but Coleman has plenty of juice. His game is built on vision, burst in tight spaces, and force.
The jump-cut pops. So does the rest of his bag: the spin move, the soft hands, the ability to make defenders miss.
In the preseason, he showed all of it.
He also gives the Broncos something every coach wants from a rookie back: reliability in pass protection. That makes him more than a developmental piece. It makes him usable right now.
And Denver may need every usable back it has. J.K.
Dobbins is healthy after missing the Broncos’ final seven games and the playoffs last season, and RJ Harvey brings a different kind of danger as the No. 2 back. Harvey can score from anywhere, but he’s not much of a short-yardage runner, and his week-to-week consistency still needs work.
That’s why Coleman matters. Against a Kansas City defense that Payton clearly trusts to muddy up the night, the Broncos could use another runner who can handle real snaps, not just stand by as insurance behind Dobbins.
Maybe Denver dresses four backs and trims somewhere else. That’s possible.
It just doesn’t sound likely. The decision seems poised to come down to Coleman or Badie, and Payton’s comments about the Chiefs only sharpen the case for the rookie.
Coleman can be more than a backup plan. He can help the Broncos right away - if he’s active on game day.
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