Denver Broncos: Khalfani Muhammad cut from Phillip Lindsay mold

The Denver Broncos lost Jeremy McNichols off their practice squad and replaced him with former Cal Bears runner Khalfani Muhammad.

There’s no need to get overly excited about a practice squad move right away, but there may be some reason for optimism with a player the Denver Broncos just added in Khalfani Muhammad, a former Cal Bears running back.

Muhammad was of interest to the Broncos before the 2017 NFL Draft, where he was a seventh-round pick of the Tennessee Titans.

While at Cal, Muhammad proved himself to be one of the fastest and most explosive backs in college football. He didn’t put up other-worldly numbers by any means (2,073 yards, 11 touchdowns in four seasons) but he was productive on a per-play basis, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and 10.4 yards per reception.

Physically, Muhammad has a very similar makeup to that of Broncos star running back Phillip Lindsay.

At 5-foot-7, 174 pounds, Muhammad posted a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at California’s pro day, along with a 38.5-inch vertical jump and an incredible 6.74-second three-cone drill, which measures short-area quickness.

After being drafted by the Titans, Muhammad was placed on their practice squad and eventually let go. He competed with the New England Patriots this past offseason and played in their fourth preseason game, carrying the ball four times for 21 yards and catching a pass.

Obviously, not every back built like Phillip Lindsay is going to be Phillip Lindsay. Lindsay has special skills outside of just his natural athleticism that have made him the star he is today.

But, it is interesting that the Broncos have maintained their interest in Muhammad all this time after bringing him in for a pre-draft visit before the 2017 NFL Draft. His intriguing athleticism doesn’t mean anything if he can’t make plays against NFL defenders, so perhaps the Broncos will find creative ways to make him a useful weapon.

With Muhammad’s speed and quickness, he seems like an ideal weapon for the return game or potentially a specific package of plays where he can get out in space and make plays.

The Broncos added Muhammad to the practice squad when Jeremy McNichols signed on to the Tennessee Titans’ active roster.