The Broncos’ running back question might only be adding more potential answers.
Denver brought Tyler Badie back to practice on Tuesday, opening his 21-day return-to-play window ahead of Saturday’s game at Cincinnati.
Badie had just ascended to the 53-man roster and seemingly into the Broncos’ regular running back rotation when he suffered a scary back injury Week 4 at the New York Jets.
“He’s doing well,” head coach Sean Payton said. “He’s doing really well. … Listen, No. 1, he’s smart and he knows the system. That’s a big plus.
“Just getting him out here and getting the work is real helpful.”
Just because he’s back on the practice field doesn’t guarantee he’ll play in Denver’s final two regular-season games. A year ago, the Broncos got offensive lineman Alex Palczewski three weeks of practice from injured reserve and never activated him at the end of last season.
Still, Badie’s return does add options to a group that’s seen playing time bounce from player to player.
Sunday, head coach Sean Payton sounded more resolved than ever to get rookie Audric Estime more work.
“I think he played well. I was encouraged with the physicality he ran with,” Payton said on his weekly conference call with reporters. “I think he’ll only get better, so I was encouraged.”
Estime is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and on Thursday night had his second-heaviest workload of the season when he ran nine times for 48 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I always just pride myself on staying ready,” Estime said Tuesday. “Even when I was coming off of IR and I didn’t know if I was going to get a snap, I attacked that week like I was going to be the starting running back that week. Then if it’s a week where I know I’m going to be getting the majority of the carries, I just have to stay on top of that week and stay grounded like I have been when I wasn’t playing.
“Even when you don’t know what it is, you have to stay ready like you’re going to be the starter this week.”
Payton also indicated he’d like to see more of rookie Blake Watson, whom the Broncos promoted from the practice squad to the active roster on Tuesday.
Part of the decision to promote him is to prevent other teams from trying to poach him from Denver’s practice squad.
“Keeping a young player like Blake Watson, that other teams are trying to — this is the time of year where teams that are maybe out of it are trying to improve and looking to the future,” Payton said.
The Broncos’ leading rusher is fourth-year man Javonte Williams, though he’s rushed 24 times for 38 yards over Denver’s past four games. The offense could also get Jaleel McLaughlin back from a quad injury that forced him to miss Thursday’s loss against the Chargers, though he was limited in practice Tuesday.
Williams has struggled to get going on the ground but he’s a reliable pass-catcher and he’s the best of the group in pass protection, two areas Estime said he’s working hard to improve.
“All three downs are crucial downs and especially third down is crucial,” he said. “If you’re a running back, hopefully, you’re able to run the ball, but what separates you is if you can pass protect, protect the quarterback, protect Bo (Nix) and also catch out of the backfield.
“I try to pride myself on that every day and I’m still learning, still growing. Hopefully, I can keep on building trust with my coaches and trust with Bo.”
The Broncos do not typically carry four active running backs on their game-day roster, meaning there’s an open question of who might be the odd man out even if Badie remains on injured reserve through the weekend.
“We’re learning. It’s part of having a young team,” Payton said Tuesday. “… As a coach, you’re quickly trying to sort through, ‘Hey, what are the things these guys do really well?’ And let’s try to have them do those things.”
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