Broncos Urged to Pursue Projected $27.9 Million RB From AFC North

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Denver Broncos running back Najee Harris.

The Denver Broncos have a running back problem. While it’s not a problem that’s new to 2024, it’s just become more pronounced as the Broncos have shocked the NFL this season by going from a team projected to win less than 6 games in the preseason to being on the verge of making the AFC Playoffs for the first time since 2015.

While the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton have taken a patchwork approach to running back — and relied heavily on the young legs of rookie quarterback Bo Nix — it’s not something that’s probably sustainable moving forward.

That’s why the Broncos should make a big move in the offseason and try to sign free agent running back Najee Harris away from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Harris has been one of the most consistent running backs in the NFL over the last 4 seasons and is on pace for his fourth consecutive season with at least 1,000 rushing yards with 891 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns through 14 games — Harris also has 30 receptions for 256 yards.

Dominant Running Back in NFL’s Toughest Division

Harris was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country for the Class of 2017 at Antioch (California) High School and ended up part of several stacked backfields at the University of Alabama, where he played alongside fellow future NFL stars Josh Jacobs and Brian Robinson Jr.

Still, Harris’ talent separated him from the pack. In 4 seasons, he won 2 College Football Playoff national championships, was a 2-time All-SEC selection and capped his career with back-to-back seasons over 1,200 rushing yards in 2019 and 2020. That included 1,891 yards from scrimmage and 30 total touchdowns in 2020 as he was named a unanimous All-American and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back.

The Steelers drafted Harris in the first round (No. 24 overall) of the 2021 NFL draft and signed him to a 4-year, $13 million contract. In May 2024, the Steelers declined the fifth year option that would have paid Harris $6.79 million in 2025 — what could now only be described as a considerable financial discount.

Projecting What Harris Might Cost the Broncos

According to Spotrac, Harris’ projected market value in free agency equates to a 3-year, $27.9 million contract that would make him one of the Top 10 highest paid running backs in the NFL.

The Broncos would be smart to offer Harris a deal somewhere in that neighborhood. Hypothetically, a starting point could be a 3-year, $24 million contract.

No Broncos player has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a single season since Phillip Lindsay in 2019 and they’ve come up woefully short again in 2024, with Javonte Williams leading the team with 461 yards and 4 touchdowns while averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. No Broncos player has passed 100 rushing yards in a single season in 2024.

It’s been a long time since the Broncos could say they had an elite running back on the roster. They haven’t had an NFL All-Pro at running back since Pro Football Hall of Famer and 2-time Super Bowl champion Terrell Davis was an All-Pro for 3 consecutive seasons from 1996 to 1998. The Broncos haven’t had a Pro Bowl running back for a decade since Lindsay made it in 2018.