Exclusive: Hall of Famer Terrell Davis Predicts How Broncos’ Running Back Race Will Play Out

The Denver Broncos have high expectations entering the 2025 season.

As a team coming off of a playoff appearance, the Broncos are expected to take a leap forward this year. Denver now has the franchise quarterback in Bo Nix after he posted one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback of all time. Nix racked up 29 passing touchdowns, second-most in NFL history for a rookie, in addition to posting 3,775 passing yards, the most for any first-year passer.

In addition to having one of the best coaches in the NFL, Sean Payton, the Broncos also feature one of the best defensive units in the league, ranking third in the NFL in scoring defense. However, one of the areas they need to settle is at running back.

The most intriguing position battle in this training camp will be at the running back position where the Broncos will decide who their starting running back is. The likes of J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin and others will compete to determine who is the Broncos' No. 1 back.

Terrell Davis, the all-time great Broncos back and Hall-of-Famer, believes the team will go with a running back by committee approach. 

Davis acknowledges that the veteran back, Dobbins, will likely get "first crack" at being the starting back.

"They will definitely go by a running back by committee approach," says Davis. 

"That's just how Sean Payton has operated in the past. I would think that J K Dobbins would probably get first crack at being the main back. Even if he's the main guy, I still don't see him getting every single carry or touch or pass," he told SportsBoom.com. 

Terrell Davis Outlines Broncos' Possible Approach At Running Back

Dobbins is obviously the most established back on the Broncos' depth chart, serving as the Los Angeles Chargers' lead back last season. The 26-year-old posted 195 carries for 906 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

By comparison, Denver's other backs have a combined total of 281 carries to their name.

He believes the several other backs will be involved in the game plan entering the season.

"I think you have to blend in RJ Harvey," says Davis of the rookie running back. 

"I think Jaleel is still gonna get some burn there. Even Audric Estime might get some run there too. I think (during) the first part you will start to see the offense kind of bring backs in and out like they've done in the past."

Terrell Davis Complements J.K. Dobbins And RJ Harvey Moves

The 52-year-old Broncos great says until one back establishes himself as the clear go-to guy, Denver will abide by the running back by committee approach they've utilised in recent seasons.

The 2024 Broncos saw Javonte Williams play the role of lead back, but he only had 139 carries for 513 rushing yards. McLaughlin was the secondary back and he posted 113 carries for 496 yards.

"Until a back sort of steps up and says, 'I'm the guy and I want more touches,' I just think it's going to go like that," says Davis. 

"Until someone says, 'I'm the man.'"

Davis says the Broncos could have "whatever ceiling" they want to have as a team and complements the franchise's moves in signing Dobbins and drafting Harvey, who was an All-American running back at UCF.

"The running back room wasn't as good last year as this year," says Davis. 

"And you go out, you sign some free agents such as JK Dobbins. You draft RJ Harvey, the running back out of UCF. They're hitting on a lot of things that I like. Sean Payton is not afraid to talk Super Bowls. He's been talking about it. I feel like this team could have whatever ceiling they set."