Denver Broncos brick, mortar and scrap: Running backs
By Aric Manthey
Royce Freeman
As Lindsay’s fellow teammate from the 2018 class, Freeman was originally thought to be the bell cow back for the Broncos.
Through his first two seasons as a Bronco, Freeman has averaged 673 yards from scrimmage and 5 TDs. While the numbers may not look bad, on the surface, it was the thought of what Freeman should have been that has most of Broncos Country disappointed in him.
After setting multiple records at the University of Oregon, Freeman was a highly regarded back in the NFL Draft and was made the 71st overall selection in the 2018 Draft. Considering the number of successful backs being taken in that range, Freeman has fallen short of expectations and has permanently taken a back seat to Lindsay in the RB room.
Freeman has disappointed some fans to the point where they are calling for his potential release. While I understand the frustration, the thought of Freeman being released is laughable.
He’s halfway through his rookie contract. Considering his size and skill set, he can still be a capable “thunder” to Lindsay’s “lightning”. Even if the Broncos do bring in another back to fill that role, Freeman will probably have a place on this team in 2020 and be in a position to be a healthy contributor.
2020 Status: Mortar