Here's why Broncos Should Consider Trading RB Royce Freeman
The Denver Broncos are about to kick off training camp where a heated battle at the running back position is poised to ignite. Phillip Lindsay will seek to maintain his supremacy atop the Broncos' RB depth chart as the incumbent, while prized free-agent signing Melvin Gordon is coming in to try and unseat him.
However, this team has more at the running back position that bears scrutiny. After Gordon and Lindsay, there's none guaranteed a roster spot as a viable backup.
Another example on the long list reasons to avoid using top-100 draft pick on running back, the third-year Royce Freeman has been a disappointment for the Broncos to date. To start his rookie season, before suffering a lower-body injury, Freeman looked to be a viable between-the-tackles runner, but since that injury, he's appeared to be a JAG, or ‘just a guy’.
After accumulating 1,026 offensive touches in college, it was fair to assume Freeman might have less tread on his tires coming into the NFL. It was worth worrying whether the Oregon Ducks had created far bigger gaps for him to rush through given the spread nature of their offense and whether that would make it harder for Freeman to be a good inside runner in the NFL.
So far, Freeman has justified those misgivings, proving to lack the juice to be an outside threat. Too often he tries to kick rushes outside when that just doesn't suit his athletic profile. He plays a finesse style with a bruiser’s physical skill-set.
Through his first two years, Freeman still had a role on the Broncos offense, though, because he was the superior pass-catcher and blocker in comparison to Lindsay. However, with Gordon now on the roster, where exactly Freeman ‘fits’ is a mystery.
If anything, he will slip into that Devontae Booker RB3 spot but does Freeman even bring the same receiving chops and special teams ability that booker did? The best-case scenario for the Broncos with Freeman is that someone behind him truly emerges in camp and/or preseason this year and the team can ship him off for a Day 3 pick to a team needing a body at running back.
There are three bubble guys of note for the Broncos at the running back position who could render this service to the front office; undrafted rookie LeVante Bellamy from Western Michigan, the second-year Khalfani Muhammad, and second-year Jeremy Cox.
Bellamy is a solid runner with some speed, but he's small in stature and lacks strength as both a runner and blocker. His explosiveness makes him an interesting option, though.
If the Broncos are going to maximize the running game in 2020, they'd better have explosive ball-carriers. The Broncos must have thought something of Bellamy as he was given the team’s largest UDFA signing bonus ($25k) with a guaranteed salary of $35K. If there is any back to displace Freeman (and even potentially make Lindsay expendable down the road), that guy is likely Bellamy.
Muhammad is another speedster with similar size and strength limitations. Given he received the same speed rating as Lindsay on Madden 21, there is no doubt his speed is known.
But can Muhammad offer more though in special teams and as a receiver and blocker? That likely will be the determining factor between Bellamy and Muhammed if either is to make the squad.
Unlike Bellamy and Muhammed, Cox is a power runner. At nearly 230 pounds, Cox tested extremely well as his Old Dominion pro day two years ago running 4.42-second 40-yard dash with other good measurements.
Of course, pro day measurements need to be taken with a grain of salt, but still, Cox's athletic profile is interesting and Denver did bring on him in on a futures contract. If there is any position where a player can come out of anywhere, it’s running back.
Hopefully, one of these three can push Freeman and potentially make him expendable come the end of preseason and the Broncos can cash in by shipping their 2018 third-round pick off in hopes of getting at least some small return on investment.
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