The Denver Broncos had something special brewing in the backfield across the first 10 weeks of the season. J.K. Dobbins was among the most efficient running backs in the league and had just under 800 rushing yards through the first 10 games. He was on pace for over 1,300 yards at the time, but the foot injury ended his season.
The team re-signed Dobbins on a two-year deal earlier this offseason, but the deal is essentially just a one-year commitment worth $8 million. when Dobbins went down, then-rookie RJ Harvey just was not capable of carrying the load consistently. On a down-to-down basis, Harvey was bad.
Sure, he has upside as a receiver and did get into the endzone 12 times in 2025, but his ability as a runner was just not nearly good enough, and while the duo of Dobbins and Harvey can be great, more help is needed, and the team could turn to the 2026 NFL Draft to find help theer.
The Denver Broncos will host Washington RB Jonah Coleman on a top-30 visit
There is a lot to like with Washington running back Jonah Coleman, and the Broncos seem to agree, as they'll be hosting him on a top-30 visit, and at first glance, Coleman seems to be an ideal fit for the team's backfield:
#Broncos will host Washington RB Jonah Coleman on a top-30 visit, source confirms (@AryePulliNFL 1st).
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) March 25, 2026
5-8, 220, ran for 758 yards + 15 TDs in 2025. Productive receiver and good pass-protector who spent time at combine with Denver talking through protection schemes: https://t.co/GCJiymol8w
There is a ton of amazing information in these two posts from Luca Evans. Coleman is not only strong in pass protection, but he has upside as a receiver as well. He's densely built a 5-8 and 220 pounds, which is the same height as Harvey, yet 15 pounds heavier.
In 2025 for Washington, Coleman ran for 758 yards and amassed 354 receiving yards. He finished that season with 1,112 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns. Across four years in college, Coleman racked up 3,054 rushing yards, 838 receiving yards, and 37 total touchdowns.
Coleman is a tough, rugged runner who can eat up nasty yards. He's not going to breakaway from defenders, but he does kind of fit in that mold of former Broncos' running back, CJ Anderson. Both Anderson and Coleman share similar size, ran tough, and had receiving upside.
But Coleman's ability in pass protection could get him on the field quite quickly, and this could be someone the Broncos draft and essentially bump Tyler Badie off the roster. A potential three-headed monster of Dobbins, Harvey, and Coleman could be a viable solution.
This would allow Dobbins to remain fresh, Harvey to thrive as a receiving back, and Coleman to pick up the pieces here and there. Ideally, though, the Broncos could simply add another veteran running back, as they do need another pair of reliable legs. Dobbins, unfortunately, is someone who can't be relied on for a full season, period.
There has always been a caveat with bringing Dobbins back. He has a ton of value on the Broncos, but it does force Denver to bring in another option. At the end of the day, though, the potential of having three options in the backfield could be a viable solution.