The Denver Broncos have to hammer away at filling some needs in the 2026 NFL Offseason. The Broncos are free of Russell Wilson's dead cap, so the team should have a ton of resources to invest in the needed positions.
After getting within just one game of the Super Bowl, the team is close. Now, yes, the Broncos have to start fresh like the 31 other teams, so it's not as simple as 'they'll just make it back next year,' but the roster is elite, the quarterback is very good, and the coaching staff is among the best in the NFL. However, the Broncos definitely had some struggles this year.
When running back JK Dobbins went down with a foot injury in Week 10, the Broncos run game immediately suffered. Rookie RB RJ Harvey simply could not get much going down-to-down, and backup RB Jaleel McLaughlin is just that and not close to being a workhorse at the position. During his end of season press conference, Sean Payton talked about the run game a little bit.
Sean Payton seems to agree with Broncos Country in terms of the run game
Here is what Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said about the run game during his end-of-season press conference, and it's definitely what fans wanted to hear:
Sean Payton said improving the run game will be an "important study" with "urgency":
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) January 27, 2026
"I feel like we're far enough along with the RPOS and stuff like that, but when we want to run it under center and control the game... we haven't been able to do it as much as I like"
It's clear that Sean Payton and the offensive staff will take a deep dive into the run game, perhaps immediately. The team did have something special brewing when JK Dobbins was healthy - the run game was working, and you can't dispute that. The coaching staff probably didn't make the best decision to look at Dobbins as the de-facto RB1 of the team with his injury history, but it did work for the first 10 weeks.
A huge part of this puzzle is going to be upgrading the personnel and figuring out who to bring in, whether it's via free agency or in a trade. RJ Harvey is going to be a part of the puzzle in 2026, but a running back who can excel between the tackles and hold double-digit carries is going to be a player they look to bring in during the offseason.
It's nice to hear very openly that the run game is going to be a point of emphasis. The Denver Broncos are likely playing for a Super Bowl if the run game didn't take a step back during the regular season.