The Denver Broncos have primarily added to the offensive side of the ball this offseason in bringing in new talent. The team swung a major trade for Jaylen Waddle earlier this offseason and has also used two picks on offensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With the 108th and 111th picks in the draft, Denver added Washington running back Jonah Coleman, and Boise State tackle Kage Casey. The Broncos are trying to build this unit as deeply as possible, and the running back position was one of the last remaining areas of need.
Denver adding Coleman is a great pick, as he brings a tough running style to the mix and is not only great in pass protection, but hardly fumbles, so he'll take care of the football. This Coleman pick, just one year after taking RJ Harvey in Round 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, could put the second-year Harvey on notice.
Denver Broncos may have just put RJ Harvey on notice with Jonah Coleman pick
Coleman was a fun prospect this entire offseason. His 5-8, 220lb frame is a tough one to bring down, as he's honestly heavier than most running backs, but is also shorter than most. He'll be able to be the 'low man' on the field and use his low center of gravity to do some damage on the ground. According to insider Jordan Schultz, Coleman was compared to former NFL great Maurice Jones-Drew during the pre-draft process, which is an amazing thing for Denver.
Harvey was also somewhat similar in this regard, but Harvey is about 15lbs lighter than Coleman, a bit faster, and not quite as good as a runner. Had Harvey shown more on the ground as a rookie in 2025, the Broncos probably have not much of a need for someone like Coleman.
Given that Coleman may already be a more efficient runner than Harvey, and given that Coleman is already solid in pass protection, Denver might see a clear avenue to get their rookie on the field quite early.
Harvey has been seen as more of a change-of-pace running back. With his high upside as a receiver, he does fit that mold. With Coleman and J.K. Dobbins likely being the two best pure runners in the backfield, it might be hard to give more carries to Harvey.
However, there's also the flip side here. With Harvey being a better pass-catcher than Coleman, Harvey could have more third-down value. Sorting out the backfield with the RB2 and RB3 roles might not be as easy as you think, but there is a distinct reason why the Broncos decided to make this pick.
There does now appear to be a possibility, especially with Dobbins' injury history. Denver will need to keep Dobbins fresh and will likely need to give another running back, let's say, 5-10 carries at game. If 2025 tells us anything, Harvey isn't going to be capable of that.
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