Denver Broncos free agency options: Bengals RB Jeremy Hill
The Denver Broncos may need to look to free agency to fill some holes on their porous offense. Jeremy Hill of the Bengals could be an option…
After Sunday, there will only be three games left in the Denver Broncos’ 2017 season. As crazy as that is considering how it feels like just yesterday the team was searching for a new head coach, here we are.
The Broncos have work to do, and not just in the final month of the regular season. This is a team in desperate need of a makeover, especially offensively, and there will be no stone left unturned when it comes to potential fits in the draft, free agency, and trades.
One player that could be an intriguing fit is Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2017 season.
Hill was a second round draft pick (55th overall) by the Bengals back in 2014, and very quickly established himself in the NFL.
He ran for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season and has struggled with some injuries including being placed on injured reserve this season with an ankle injury.
After his rookie season where he had five games with over 100 yards rushing and nine rushing touchdowns, Hill was slightly less spectacular in the following two seasons, despite running for 20 touchdowns combined (9 in 2015, 11 in 2016).
His yards per carry dipped to just under four yards per carry, and was at 3.1 yards per carry on 31 carries this season before going on IR.
His production and injury issues will likely make him one of the top bargain players in this year’s free agent crop, and with the Broncos set to make wholesale changes offensively, Hill is a player that could come in on an incentive-laden one- or two-year contract and really be an asset for a team.
Here are a couple of reasons why I’m intrigued by him as a Bronco…
1. Hill’s production against the Broncos is ridiculous
Looking at Hill’s splits against other NFL teams, he has more yards against the Broncos (302 in three games) than he does against any other team in the NFL except Cleveland, including AFC North foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
His 302 yards in three games against the Broncos includes three rushing touchdowns, and a 5.29 yard per carry average.
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2. Hill’s production vs. the AFC West in general
In six career games against the AFC West, Hill has more touchdowns (8) than he does in 20 career games in AFC North play (7). Simply put — Hill shreds the AFC West.
On 96 carries, he’s rushed for 449 yards (4.68 average, highest against any division) with eight touchdowns.
Heck, he even threw in his only career two-point conversion against the Oakland Raiders.
Hill has played well against AFC West teams in his career, and that doesn’t always mean he’s going to come to an AFC West team and play extremely well right away, but we know that he plays well in Denver or against the Broncos, and against the AFC West in general.
If the Broncos decide to start fresh at the running back position, this is a veteran option to consider throwing in with Devontae Booker and De’Angelo Henderson.