PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Broncos will draft a running back when the 2025 NFL Draft arrives in late April.
That much, General Manager George Paton made clear on Monday at the NFL's Annual Meeting.
When? And which type of back? That information likely won't reveal itself until the given selection is turned in to the league during the draft.
The Broncos added to a number of positions during free agency, but the strength of the draft at the position — as well as Broncos' evaluation of the quality of the free-agent market — led Denver to wait to add to the group.
When the Broncos do select a player, they'll have a slew of choices — from first-round projected standouts to Day 2 gems to Day 3 steals.
"It's a strong class," Paton said. "There are different flavors throughout the draft. I think you can get a good back in the second round up and all the way to the sixth round. That's how it is. There's just so many of them. The first- and second-down power back, you have the change-of-pace, you have the third-down [back] and you have the three-down [back]. [There are] not as many three-down backs, but it's a good class. We'll get a [running] back in this draft."
Head Coach Sean Payton said there are different traits he looks for in a running back depending on the style of player, but he also noted several consistent elements he hopes to find with a player at that position.
"I think ball security [is one thing] you're looking for," Payton said. "Some backs make positive yards most of the time, and that's a trait that I think [is important]. There's a feel, in other words. Some backs don't have the same vision as others, meaning they'll take a negative play."
Payton also noted toughness as a key trait for any player on his roster, placing it with football IQ as a necessary characteristic.
"It's an extremely physical game, and at some point, there's a team that takes it more than they give it each week," Payton said. "So it's important to have not only physically tough, but mentally tough-minded players."
As the Broncos look to add to their stable of running backs, Payton also emphasized he wants to see the team's current backs — a group that currently includes Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie and Blake Watson — compete for snaps.
"Make no mistake about it: We're wanting to see our group at home get these opportunities now," Payton said. "So, that competition, I think, will help."
A SECOND-YEAR STEP
As the Broncos draft a new class of players, they could also benefit from their 2024 class taking a step forward in Year 2. A season ago, wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. added a dynamic element to the Broncos' offense and saw his touchdown count jump from one as a rookie on offense to six in his sophomore season.
"He took that next step," Paton said. "Sean used him a little differently than we had in the prior [year]. He's just grown. He's grown as a pro. You can see the confidence when he started getting touches and [when we] used him in different areas, he just took off. I think it has to do with confidence, kind of the way we used him and the way we incorporated him in our offense."
While Nik Bonitto's breakout season came in 2024, he showed he was on his way with eight sacks in 2023. That second-year performance was a significant jump from the 1.5 sacks he posted as a rookie.
Mims and Bonitto are far from the only examples of players taking a second-year jump, and it's possible the Broncos could see a step up from second-year players like Jonah Elliss, Kris Abrams-Draine, Troy Franklin and Estime — among others.
And if quarterback Bo Nix continues to improve from an already stellar rookie season, that would only continue to make the Broncos better.
"It's a credit to Sean, it's a credit to the staff how they develop these young players to take that next step," Paton said. "They all grow at different [rates]. Like we talked about, Pat Surtain [II] walked in the door [and] he was Pat Surtain. But a lot of these guys, some get it in the second year, some get it in the third year. You can't be overly patient, but you just have to keep developing your young players."
