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Denver Broncos 2020 free agency wish list: Upgrades all over

By Sayre Bedinger

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Javon Hargrave #79 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Javon Hargrave #79 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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Denver Broncos, Jordan Howard
PHILADELPHIA, PA – NOVEMBER 03: Jordan Howard #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs past Eddie Jackson #39 of the Chicago Bears on his way to a touchdown in the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on November 3, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Running Back

Jordan Howard (Eagles)

Jordan Howard ran for over 2,000 yards and caught 52 passes in his first two seasons with the Chicago Bears. For whatever reason, the shift to Matt Nagy’s offense in 2018 was not what the doctor ordered for Howard, and he not only became expendable, he’s kind of become an afterthought.

Although the true dream prize in free agency at running back will be Derrick Henry, the Broncos probably aren’t in a position to pay Henry the kind of money he desires on the open market.

There is value to be had at the running back position in free agency, even if signing players to mega contracts has proven somewhat fruitless in recent years.

Among last year’s 12 playoff teams, seven made mid-level signings (or trades) at the running back position that paid dividends:

Ravens: Mark Ingram (3 years, $15 million)
49ers: Tevin Coleman (2 years, $8.5 million)
Saints: Latavius Murray (4 years, $14.4 million)
Eagles: Jordan Howard (1 year, $2.025 million)
Titans: Dion Lewis (4 years, just under $20 million)
Bills: Frank Gore (1 year, $2 million)
Texans: Carlos Hyde (1 year, $2.8 million)

Although Lewis and another player signed through free agency — 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon — can also be cautionary tales in free agency, there’s no doubt that each of these players made substantial contributions to their respective teams in the 2019 season en route to the playoffs.

It just so happens that Howard has now proven himself to be a key part of a committee backfield on two different teams, last year with the Eagles and rookie Miles Sanders and the year prior with the Bears and Tarik Cohen.

As I outlined in this earlier post on free agent running backs, the Broncos could be looking to use the free agent running back crop to duplicate what the Bears were able to do with the outstanding duo of Howard and Cohen in 2018.

The Broncos should look to sign Howard to a similar deal to the one Coleman got from the 49ers, and perhaps extend it out to three years instead of two.

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