Broncos Warned Against Overlooking Playmaking Former Draft Pick

The Denver Broncos have stacked their running back room, which can make it difficult to keep everyone satisfied with touches. However, the Broncos might be wise not to turn their backs completely on 2024 fifth-round pick Audric Estime.

Selected with the No. 147 overall pick, Estime rushed for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns on 76 carries during the regular season.

The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson believes it would be a mistake not to use Estime.

“The youngest player on #Broncos is not a rookie, he’s 2nd-year RB Audric Estime, who is 21 & turns 22 Sept. 6,” Tomasson posted on X on June 24. “Even though Broncos have brought in veteran JK Dobbins, 26, & drafted RJ Harvey, 24, it would seem misguided not to remain very patient with Estime considering his youth.”

Estime was fourth on the team in carries and rushing yards and third among Broncos backs in those categories last season. The Broncos’ leading rusher from last season, Javonte Williams, is now a member of the Dallas Cowboys, leaving Denver in free agency.

Still, Estime may face an uphill climb to significant carries this coming season after the Broncos’ offseason moves.

Sean Payton’s Comments Speak Volumes for Audric Estime

Broncos head coach Sean Payton expressed his desire to see more of Estime on multiple occasions last season. However, he was made inactive for the team’s AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.

Still, Payton named Estime when faced with questions about the Broncos’ RB rotation.

“Don’t start counting. I’ve heard you guys counting, and it’s like, don’t count, because half you will be wrong. Let’s just see what they do,” Payton told reporters on June 10. “I’m looking forward to seeing how they play, and they’re going to get opportunities.

“I said, ‘Look, Audric’s going to get opportunities.’ All right? We’ve seen Jaleel [McLaughlin], but don’t try to figure out the club right now. It’s way too early.”

Audric Estime Has Key Improvement to Make

If Estime is to receive a greater workload in 2025, he must take better care of the football in training camp and in the preseason.

He was second on the team with 2 fumbles last season, the same number as Williams, despite being 110 touches behind his former teammate on the season. Broncos QB Bo Nix was the only player on the team to put the ball on the ground more.

There were high hopes for Estime before last season, even with his modest draft slot.

“He’s got the same workhorse frame that Williams does,” Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen wrote on July 18. “Where Estime differs is that he actually runs like that kind of player, too. Estime is a smart, tough runner with the vision and relatively light feet to navigate the line of scrimmage effortlessly. Estime proved his ability to do that in a wide variety of run schemes at Notre Dame as well, which he’ll be asked to do again under Payton.”

It is fair to wonder how much the Broncos’ opinion of Estime has changed since this time last season. But it sounds as if he will have an opportunity to prove their first intuition was correct.