Denver Broncos: What went so wrong for Devontae Booker?

The Denver Broncos figure to have one of the league’s best combinations at running back next season, but that backfield won’t include Devontae Booker.

As the Broncos march into the 2020 season with a full roster that by most accounts is improved drastically on the offensive end, fans are starting to get excited by what could lie ahead for one of the league’s proudest franchises.

The team surrounded Drew Lock with weapons to use as he develops as an NFL quarterback, and the second-year starter has been like a kid at Christmas as he makes the media rounds discussing the team’s draft class.

But the running game also got a huge boost with the signing of Melvin Gordon, a former first-round pick. He and Phillip Lindsay could be quite special together.

The Broncos don’t often miss on running backs. The organization has long been known for churning out productive runners, specifically of late-round picks and undrafted players. This list includes Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, C.J. Anderson and Lindsay, to name a few.

But Devontae Booker is not on that list but rather, his name appears on a list of flops in team history. And that’s a shame, because when the team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft.

Following that pick, fans were raving about what a steal the Broncos had just gotten. At the time, he ranked third in school history at Utah in career rushing yards and he did that in just two seasons.

Speaking of that pick, it was given one of the coolest announcements of a pick in recent memory.

Unfortunately, that was probably the highlight of Booker’s career in Denver. In four seasons, he rushed for just 1,103 yards. He was all but an afterthought in 2019 and the writing was on the wall that he would not be back.

Now, reports indicate that Booker will attempt to continue his career with the Las Vegas Raiders, as the two sides have agreed to a deal.

Things got off to a rough start right out of the gate for Booker in Denver. Literally. His first career carry came in Week 1 of the 2016 season. That was the Super Bowl rematch with the Carolina Panthers.

The Broncos had taken the opening drive right down the field in that game but on Booker’s first career carry, he coughed up the ball and the Panthers recovered. Booker carried the ball just two other times in that game and truly, his confidence never seemed to fully return.

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Booker was used exclusively in a complementary role in Denver and lost reps to C.J. Anderson and Lindsay, two players who weren’t even drafted. Those guys just wanted it more, and it showed. What did Booker show during his time in Denver?

He didn’t run with aggression. He didn’t slip tackles. He didn’t have good vision. He was a decent receiver out of the backfield, but running the ball, he didn’t do anything particularly well.

That’s what we saw on the field. But what did we not see behind the scenes? Did Booker lack the kind of work ethic it takes to make it? Did he lack the desire to go out and give 100 percent of himself at all times?

Whatever the reason, Booker is done in Denver and his career with the team will be remembered as one that started with so much promise and ended as such a disappointment.

Now, fans will hope that he’s a disappointment for Vegas as well.