Troy Renck: For the Broncos to win the Super Bowl, the last step on their climb back to dominance, they need a few more players to do heavy lifting. Three of their top four free agents last season struggled with playing, catching and running. The Broncos receive high marks for signing safety Talanoa Hufanga, but the additions of linebacker Dre Greenlaw, tight end Evan Engram and running back J.K. Dobbins did not work out as planned. Greenlaw appeared in only eight games, Engram played a career-low 42% of the snaps and Dobbins lived up to his billing before a foot injury sidelined him over the final 10 weeks. Given the injuries and ineffectiveness, who do you want back next season?
Sean Keeler: If I can only take one, give me Dobbins — only minus the hometown discount and with a boatload of health-related/games-played-related incentives thrown in. If I can take two, give me Dobbins and Dre Greenlaw, as the latter can get downhill to stop the run and defend the short-passing game, whereas Alex Singleton sort of does one well (the run) and Justin Strnad excels at the other (pass defense). If I can go off the list, give that money to nickel back Ja’Quan McMillian. Sorry, Jahdae Barron, but where would Vance Joseph’s D be without The Mighty Mac? With a $1.03 million cap hit, McMillian (four sacks, two interceptions, two fumbles forced, nine pass break-ups) was one of the best bargains in the NFL last fall. And as Ja’Quan’s also slated to be a restricted free agent, he won’t be the same bargain anymore.
Renck: Don’t be bull-headed. The answer is simple: “El Toro,” also known as the bilingual Dobbins. In any language, he is an effective runner, and the price will be right at roughly $2.5 million on a one-year deal. Of course, Dobbins will want a multi-season contract, but the Broncos can wait him out. The key is pairing Dobbins. Perhaps, R.J. Harvey takes the next step with a more focused running game — Denver never fully committed to the wide zone attack last season. But adding a veteran and a drafted back to replace Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin could also make Dobbins a healthy contributor for a full season.
Keeler: Only you know, and I know, that trusting Dobbins’ body to hold up for 17-19 games is a load of bull-oney. Harvey proved himself as a fun at-the-hashmarks weapon in the passing game (drops notwithstanding), especially in the red zone. RJ finishes runs strong. He just sometimes has trouble starting them, especially between the tackles. Harvey looks like a situational or “conditional” back — someone who needs a big, bruising, north-south guy as a partner/caddy. Dobbins was every bit that guy, minus the “big” part — until he got hurt. Because he always gets hurt. So he’s “conditional,” too, in that Dobbins needs a partner back to finish the season out for him. That’s way too many “conditionals” in one backfield, my friend.
Renck: Billed as a Joker to create passing game mismatches, Engram fell out of favor because of his blocking skills, losing the starting job to Adam Trautman in training camp. If Engram was not the primary receiver on a play, he did not get the ball. Even with Davis Webb becoming the offensive coordinator, it is difficult to see Engram blossoming. The Broncos would save $3.8 million if they cut him, but absorb a $10.33 million dead cap hit, per Spotrac. It is worth it if they only plan on employing him as a platoon player. Moving on from Greenlaw brings $4.3 million in dead cap money. Greenlaw’s body betrayed him with quad and hamstring injuries. He wasn’t as effective in coverage as hoped, and his postseason presser cast doubt about whether he wants to return to play for Sean Payton, whose practice schedule, as noted by the linebacker, is a lot more strenuous than Kyle Shanahan’s. If bringing back one of the three, make mine Dobbins.
Keeler: Last Monday’s exit interviews at Dove Valley were telling. Engram and Greenlaw said some of the quiet parts out loud regarding the methods to Payton’s madness. Dobbins, by contrast, sounded positively giddy about getting back onto the field in Broncos orange. Greenlaw’s contract for 2026 includes escalators for playing time, stats, wins and awards worth up to $3 million, Spotrac says. So if you were looking to cut him, this might be the best window.
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