Running back Tyler Badie has earned more chances to revive Broncos' rush attack

Tyler Badie began his offseason with the Broncos by taking part in rookie minicamp in the middle of May. The running back wasn’t a rookie, but because he played in only one game during his first two seasons — a Week 18 appearance in 2022 — he hadn’t yet been credited with a year of NFL service time. That made him eligible to join Denver’s draft picks, free-agent rookies and a handful of veteran tryout hopefuls for three days of work with the team’s coaching staff.

His relative experience during the minicamp made the 25-year-old a target of some friendly derision.

“I kid Badie, like, ‘You didn’t get a credited year?’” coach Sean Payton said. “Because I feel like he’s been here two years, right? I’m like, ‘Let’s make sure you’re not at this one next year.’”

Badie certainly won’t be reporting to rookie minicamp in 2025. In his second appearance with the Broncos on Sunday, which came in a 26-7 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Badie led the team in rushing with 70 yards on only nine carries. Add that to the 16 yards he had on his lone carry against Pittsburgh in Week 2, and Badie’s 86 rushing yards lead Denver’s running backs after three weeks. He is second on the team in rushing overall behind quarterback Bo Nix, whose 45 yards in Sunday’s game pushed his season total to 105.

Badie breaks free! 💨

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/JiuNxzNUoI

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 22, 2024

As he found a cutback lane in the fourth quarter Sunday and burst through it for a 43-yard gain that helped sew up an impressive Broncos victory, Badie may have been sprinting into a far bigger role in Denver’s backfield.

“He’s going to be doing it all year,” fellow running back Jaleel McLaughlin said.

The Broncos on Sunday were once again having difficulty establishing any semblance of run game outside of Nix’s improvisational scrambles. Javonte Williams gained only 12 yards on five carries, leaving his average after three games at a meager 2.2 yards per attempt. McLaughlin had the highlight of the day when he juked linebacker Anthony Nelson during a 1-yard touchdown run, but he finished the game with only 7 yards on his five carries. In the fourth quarter, even with the Broncos trying to melt clock, it appeared Nix would lead Denver in rushing for a third straight week.

Then, Badie did what he’s been doing since he arrived in the NFL as a sixth-round pick, capitalizing on opportunities regardless of their volume. He had a strong rookie preseason with the Ravens and was poised to make the initial roster, but he was released on cutdown day after Baltimore acquired veteran Kenyon Drake. Badie spent most of that season on Baltimore’s practice squad until being signed to Denver’s active roster in December. In his first NFL regular-season appearance, which came in the season finale against the Chargers, Badie caught a pass from Russell Wilson near the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 24-yard touchdown.

“Every time I step on the field, I just want to make a play and be there for my teammates,” Badie said afterward. “It was just great being able to do that today.”

Badie spent last season on Denver’s practice squad. The running back trio of Williams, McLaughlin and Samaje Perine remained healthy throughout the season, forcing Badie to bide his time. But the player who broke out with nearly 2,000 yards of offense and 18 touchdowns as a senior at Missouri in 2021 was determined to be a positive presence in Denver’s running back room as he waited for his chance. Last year, that meant serving as a sounding board for McLaughlin as the rookie was thrust into a major role in the Broncos’ offense.

“He’s a great brother to me and he works hard. He’s not a hater,” McLaughlin said. “He goes out there and does what he does when his number is called. He’s always been extra eyes on the sideline, giving me pointers, so I’m very happy for him.”

Despite a strong training camp in August, Badie was released on cutdown day as the Broncos kept Williams, McLaughlin and rookies Audric Estimé and Blake Watson on the roster. It was the third time he had been cut since being drafted by the Ravens. Badie was again signed to Denver’s practice squad, but this time a chance to see the field materialized early. Estimé landed on IR after suffering a Week 1 ankle injury, leaving an opening in the past two weeks for Badie to be elevated from the practice squad.

Payton said after Sunday’s win that “right, wrong or indifferent, it’s easy to work two backs in a rotation; it’s hard with three. It’s hard to feed three.”

Badie was the one the Broncos fed in the fourth quarter Sunday, and his production demands a fresh look at the backfield picture by Payton and his staff. If only two running backs can be worked into a rotation of carries, Badie needs to be a part of that duo. Williams has been strong in pass protection. He has not allowed a quarterback pressure in 18 pass-block snaps this season, according to TruMedia. That’s not insignificant as the Broncos prioritize the protection around rookie quarterback Bo Nix. But as a runner, Williams has not been the tackle-breaking force he was before his devastating knee injury in 2022. As a result, he’s been unable to reach the second level of the defense with any regularity. Seven of Williams’ 24 rush attempts have produced 1 yard or less. He does not have a run of longer than 9 yards.

That Badie nearly doubled Williams’ rush attempts Sunday showed the Broncos may already be changing the complexion of their backfield. The new picture should feature more work for the running back who keeps making the most of it.