At this point, all of Broncos Country is just waiting to see what the Denver Broncos do at running back. This position figures to be one of the first, if not the first position the team looks to address in free agency.
The legal tampering period begins on March 9th at 12:00 PM Eastern time, so the team won't have to wait much longer before they and the rest of the NFL can announce deals, which cannot become official until later that week. In 2025, the team signed J.K. Dobbins in June and actually appeared to get a total steal through 10 weeks.
But the season-ending foot injury only further magnified the major need for a running back upgrade, and if the team can field a competent rushing attack in 2026, the sky is the limit on offense. Once again, the Broncos were recently connected to a potentially massive move at the position in free agency.
Denver Broncos apparently eyeing a 'big splash' at running back
Jonathan Jones really didn't mince words for CBS Sports when talking about the Broncos and their interest in a running back:
"Broncos eyeing running back splash
The Broncos are poised to make a splash at running back next week. Denver is the reason why the Jets used the franchise tag on Breece Hall rather than the transition tag, according to sources, making sure Denver wouldn't get the opportunity to put together an offer the Jets would refuse to match. A few connections there underline that tango: Jets GM Darren Mougey came from Denver, while Broncos running backs coach Louis Ayeni identified Hall as a high school prospect years ago and recruited him to Iowa State before Ayeni left Ames for Northwestern and eventually the NFL.
The Broncos would be an obvious landing spot for Kenneth Walker III, but the team could opt for Travis Etienne as a more affordable running back."
Not only does Jones note that both Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne could be targets, but his previous note is even more significant, in my opinion, as Jones says that the Broncos were the reason why the New York Jets used the franchise tag on Breece Hall.
Had they used the transition tag, the Broncos, along with other teams, would have gotten a chance to make a strong offer for Hall. This reporting is frankly a bombshell update, and it should read as excellent news for fans.
This is what many have us have wanted - a legitimate investment in the position, and both Walker and Etienne figure to be the two highest-paid backs on the market. It is very likely that Walker eclipses $10 million per season, and Etienne might be able to flirt with that mark.
In my eyes, Etienne would be a much better 'bang for your buck' than Walker, as he's probably not going to cost as much but is simply a more productive player who is a quality runner and an above-average receiving back.
At the end of the day, though, the Broncos have to come away with a top running back in free agency, and this is probably one of the first free agency moves that is announced when the legal tampering period rolls around.