The Denver Broncos made a relatively unpopular decision at the running back position in the 2021 offseason. The departure of Phillip Lindsay after giving him a low restricted free agent tender offer certainly was not something that won a lot of fans over for general manager George Paton.
Despite making an unpopular decision to let Lindsay walk in free agency for nothing, Paton has assembled a pretty exciting stable of running backs led by Melvin Gordon and 2021 draft pick Javonte Williams.
With Gordon and Williams leading the pack, what is the role for Mike Boone going to look like?
When Paton came over from Minnesota, it was fascinating to think about which players from the Vikings he might try to bring with him. Not many people had Mike Boone on their BINGO cards.
Boone has been a backup running back and special teams player for the Vikings since he came into the league in the 2018 season as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati.
At Cincinnati, Boone was outstanding in his first two seasons racking up 18 rushing touchdowns and averaging almost seven yards per carry. In his final two seasons, he had just six rushing touchdowns and averaged barely four yards per carry.
The decline in production certainly contributed to Boone going undrafted in 2018, but it wasn’t for lack of athleticism.
Mike Boone has worked out for the #Raiders, #Bengals, and #Colts, and posted a very strong #RAS at his pro day. Size may still turn some teams off, but he put up the best broad I have ever recorded for a RB in 3 decades worth of data. pic.twitter.com/vHyPDdx08B
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 12, 2018
Boone is a stellar athlete, he excels on special teams, and he’s taken advantage of limited opportunities so far in his three NFL seasons.
Though he’s only touched the ball 78 total times, he has averaged 5.2 yards per touch and has four total touchdowns.
MIKE BOONE.
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2019
64-yard sprint for the @Vikings TD!@_lococinco | #MINvsNO pic.twitter.com/0B2xgX6CvP
Mike Boone wins the #NFLWayToPlay Award!
— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2020
The @vikings RB earned recognition from a panel of @NFLLegends including @merrilhoge, @RonnieLottHOF, @WillieMcGinest, @OrlandoPace_HOF + @RealMikeRob.
Track every winner HERE: https://t.co/AFe2zLT2RU @_lococinco pic.twitter.com/iCbWRUEoTZ
Because he’s going to be the team’s RB3, Boone’s most prominent role will likely be on special teams for the Denver Broncos. If he can pop the ball loose with regularity as he does in the clip above, he’s going to be a major asset in that regard.
As a running back, though, the Denver Broncos’ coaching staff continues to warn not to underestimate Boone. The Broncos’ 1-2 punch of Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams will eat up the bulk of carries, but Boone is going to get a chance to prove that he can make an impact with high efficiency on a likely low number of touches.
With his speed, he’s replacing (to a degree) what really only Phillip Lindsay has brought to the table for the Denver Broncos in the past couple of years.
The running back position does not require guys to be 4.4-speed guys or faster these days, and in fact a lot of the top prospects these days are quicker than fast with the ability to make people miss in the open field.
Boone is the type of guy who can win with physicality as well as speed and explosiveness. He may not be the most creative runner, but with a crease or some open space, he’s going to give you big chunk plays.
Denver Broncos: 53-man roster prediction at 2021 OTAs
The Denver Broncos will have some difficult decisions to make regarding the roster leading up to the 2021 season. Who makes the final 53?
With Gordon, Williams, and Boone, the Denver Broncos have a trio of backs capable of contributing on all three downs and their abilities as receivers will keep defenses guessing no matter who is on the field.