Payton Gives Rapid Reaction to Broncos RB Jonah Coleman's Debut

One of the many bright spots in the Denver Broncos' preseason-opening victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday was the performance of fourth-round rookie running back Jonah Coleman.

Despite handling only four carries, Coleman averaged a sparkling 6.0 yards per tote and broke off an impressive 13-yard scamper amid the 27-7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, tying for first in rushing yards among active Broncos RBs.

The Washington product was exactly as advertised, something head coach Sean Payton noted in his post-game press conference.

“Just what we've been seeing, right? And then you see enough of it, and you're like, all right," Payton told reporters. "Look, he's had a good camp, and I liked his balance coming out of some of the tackles. I thought overall, the group had a good night.”

With veteran starter J.K. Dobbins inactive, Coleman predictably split carries with a host of other backs, including RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Cody Schrader. McLaughin, as mentioned, tied Coleman with 24 ground yards, though he handled two more carries and also lost a fumble.

Denver was continually able to exert its will at the point of attack against an overmatched Falcons defense, logging 162 combined rushing yards while averaging a collective 4.2 YPC. The Broncos held the ball for more than 36 minutes.

“I was pleased with that. I thought the runners played well and I thought we blocked them pretty well. It's kind of a heavy front; they’ll play some base. I know we had one fumble, but those guys ran hard.”

The Arrow is Skyrocketing Upward

To be sure, Coleman wasn't perfect in his exhibition debut -- his pass-blocking still needs further refinement -- but it's easy to see why the Broncos were quick to select the 22-year-old in April's draft.

Once he has more experience under his belt, Coleman should be considered the favorite to eventually supplant Dobbins as RB1, whether that happens this year or next.

He's an ideal fit for the offensive scheme employed by new coordinator Davis Webb, a system built on the back of his potential future Hall-of-Fame boss.

“He did a number of things on tape or was exposed to certain protections maybe that a lot of college backs weren’t," Payton said on Aug. 12. "So you feel an older player or a veteran player, and you saw that on tape. You saw the runs that we run, some protections. You had a chance to see more of it maybe than you do with some other guys.”

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