Denver Broncos third-year running back Jaleel McLaughlin has been a healthy scratch through the team’s first two games of the 2025 NFL season.

In his place, the Broncos have dressed third-string running back Tyler Badie. Playing behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, Baide has played 27 snaps on offense and 22 snaps on special teams this season. Badie has just one carry through two games, but he’s drawn eight targets as a receiver out of the backfield. His involvement in the passing game helps explain why Badie has been active over McLaughlin.

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“It’s a tough decision because Jaleel’s such a good player,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said last week. “I think most of it was just third-down protection, and [Badie’s] just a little stouter in there.”

Lombardi went on to say there will be games where McLaughlin makes the game-day roster based on injuries or situational fits. Sean Payton, Denver’s head coach, has repeatedly praised Badie’s pass blocking in 2025.

“He’s a guy that can do a number of things well,” Payton said of Badie last week. “We think he can run well, he’s good in the pickups, he’s good in the passing game. You know exactly what you’re getting, and sometimes, this week is a significant week in the protections because of the amount of pressure looks we get.

“There was quite a bit of time spent on third down, not just third, even second down. They will give you some exotic looks that you really have to be ready for. He was someone coming on last year, even as a runner. I think that there’s always a value when you know exactly what you’re getting from a player, and then you can implement him into those things that he does well.”

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Payton is clearly comfortable with Badie, who has proven himself as a reliable pass blocker. That has left McLaughlin as the fourth-string running back, a role that’s inactive on most game days. McLaughlin’s role could change later this season, but for now, it appears that Badie has RB3 duties secured.

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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Why aren’t the Broncos playing RB Jaleel McLaughlin?