Broncos’ RB Search Gets Pricier After Javonte Williams Deal, Insider Says

The Denver Broncos' need at running back is an open secret around the NFL. As it stands, Denver has just one running back under contract for 2026 and that's RJ Harvey entering his second year.

The Broncos were forced to rely on Harvey as their starter from Week 11 on after J.K. Dobbins was lost to a season-ending injury. Harvey provided some nice returns in the red zone, but struggled to create down-to-down consistency as the team's RB1.

The Broncos are expected to target the running back market when free agency opens next week. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is the latest to opine on the subject, highlighting the Broncos among a handful of teams that want to have the running back hole filled before the NFL draft in April.

Rapoport also laid out how the Javonte Williams extension in Dallas may serve as the starting point for the 2026 free-agent class of running backs.

"The Javonte Williams deal really set it up to where it feels like $8 million-plus is really the market here... You have teams like the Denver Broncos, Seattle—if they lose Kenneth Walker [III]—perhaps the Kansas City Chiefs, perhaps the Jacksonville Jaguars," Rapoport said during an NFL Network segment. "You have several teams that need a running back and want to go into the draft saying, 'We don't have a gaping, gaping hole.' These guys are going to get paid in a way that we haven't seen in some time and at the least, they're going to rebuild the running back market, probably where it should be."

The New RB Floor

For years, the running back position had been devalued in the league, but that has begun to change. The Broncos haven't been big spenders at the position for quite some time, relying on low-cost veterans, draft picks, and college free agents.

The last big free-agent running back the Broncos signed was Melvin Gordon back in 2020, who received a two-year $16 million deal from then-GM John Elway. That seemed like a lot back then, and it was, but the current Broncos will have to be willing to spend $8 million/year if they want to capitalize on this excellent free-agent class.

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Decisions, Decisions

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (27) after the game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Last year, the Broncos paid J.K. Dobbins $2 million, and they got an excellent return on investment, even though his season ended early. Dobbins cranked out 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns through 10 games, ranking among the NFL's top five rushers before he got hurt.

The Broncos would like to bring Dobbins back, but at what cost? His injury history muddies the water, but if he comes back, he's earned at least a modest raise.

I could see the Broncos re-signing Dobbins to a two-year deal worth up to $8 million if incentives are reached. Those incentives would obviously be heavily tied to his availability, and only the first year would offer any guaranteed money.

If Dobbins truly wants to be a "Bronco for life," as he stated while cleaning out his locker in January, that's a deal he happily takes. It might even be a tad richer than what the Broncos will actually be willing to pay, but as Sean Payton said during the 2025 season, Dobbins brought much more to the table than just his rushing ability.

Broncos GM George Paton said that Dobbins was "a big hit around here" just last week at the NFL Combine, so we know he's highly regarded. Is there a situation in which the Broncos bring back Dobbins and sign an outside free agent?

I would hope so because the Broncos' running back room by season's end was arguably the worst in the NFL — and that's no disrespect to Harvey. The Broncos entered the playoffs with Harvey at the top of the depth chart (a rookie), followed by Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie. That's not striking fear into any opponent.

Bo Nix needs help, and the Broncos have done a great job to ensure he has a top-shelf offensive line. Now it's time to build the running back room, and the entire arsenal around Nix, though the team doesn't seem to view wide receiver as a need in the same way that fans do.

Building the running back room could be Dobbins plus an outside free agent like Walker, Tyler Allgeier, or Travis Etienne. Or it could be an outside free agent plus a draft pick

The Takeaway

We knew well before Rapoport's latest comment that the Broncos want to fill this running back hole before the draft. That's always been Paton's approach as general manager: major needs are met in free agency, while the draft is for the long-term.

The good news is, fans won't have to wait too much longer for answers. The NFL's 'legal tampering' window opens on March 9, followed by the new league year and free agency on March 13.

March 9, though, is the soonest the Broncos can begin negotiating with outside free agents.