The Denver Broncos might have one obvious joker, but could they have another one up their sleeves?
In a recent interview with the treasured Kay Adams, Sean Payton admitted that ideally every team would have not just one, but two "jokers." Sean Payton then went on to elaborate on what a joker truly is. Payton described a joker as a running back or tight end who has elite, rare receiving skills. Enter second-year running back Blake Watson.
Finding himself in the midst of a battle for the third, possibly even fourth running back spot on the 53-man roster, Watson possesses the exact skillset that head coach Sean Payton wants in his joker. Battling with Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, and Jaleel McLaughlin, Watson has his work cut out for him.
Blake Watson could be Broncos' secret joker in waiting
During stretches of McLaughlin's career, he has shown an uncanny ability to break loose in the open field. His touchdown run in Tampa Bay is a prime example of that. Estime brings impressive power and provides a physical style of play that is just the opposite of Jaleel McLaughlin. Blake Watson finds himself somewhere in the middle.
McLaughlin is listed at 5-foot-7 and 187 pounds; Estime is listed at 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds. Watson is listed at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds. His play and body style represent a hybrid of Estime and McLaughlin. More importantly, his play does not unveil what the offense is doing with him in the backfield.
Blake Watson being on the field allows the Denver Broncos' offense to have flexibility. Watson played wide receiver in high school and excelled as a pass-catching back as a Memphis Tiger. Watson has a similar playing style to another former Tiger, Antonio Gibson.
During his senior year at Memphis in 2023, Watson totaled over 1,100 rushing yards on 192 attempts and 480 receiving yards on 53 receptions. Watson scored 17 touchdowns during his lone year as a Memphis Tiger.
In the first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, Watson made the most of his carries. He rushed for 28 yards on just four carries. Watson displayed his ability to run inside and outside the tackles, along with his contact balance. Watson seems like a perfect fit for a Sean Payton-run offense.
Against the Arizona Cardinals, Watson didn't have any "wow" moments. Finishing the night with just 34 yards on 10 carries, Watson was outshined by McLaughlin, who had three carries for 48 yards. Jaleel had seen snaps before Watson and made the most of them. However, the late group of offensive linemen hasn't necessarily been parting the sea.
In a telling game, Blake Watson has an uphill battle, but his versatility, maybe even McLaughlin's interest from another organization, may boost Watson's chances at making the final cutdown. If McLaughlin doesn't get moved, I expect him to be the third back. But it's the battle between Badie and Watson for a potentially fourth back.