Maybe the Denver Broncos will have a better season than the Steelers. It would help their cause if a couple of underrated sleepers pan out. But there’s always a buzz somewhere in Denver, and here are the Broncos’ two hottest takes after the 2025 minicamp.
Excitement has grown in the Mile High City with a young quarterback leading the way. But one of the hot takes came from behind Bo Nix, as the Broncos have an exciting mix of running backs on their roster.
Currently sitting in the starter’s box is rookie R.J. Harvey. But he will likely be pushed hard by free-agent signee J.K. Dobbins.
RB J.K. Dobbins adding to Broncos mix
Broncos ead coach Sean Payton said he’s not sure how things will play out, according to denverbroncos.com.
“We’ll see how training camp goes, see how all the carries go,” Payton said. “You know what? When that time comes, you guys are going to know just like I’m going to know. You’re going to see it.”
And Dobbins figures prominently in the team’s plans. He scored nine touchdowns last season for the Chargers and passed the 1,000-yard mark from scrimmage.
“(Dobbins is) another good football player,” Payton said. “We’re interested in those guys.
“When a play’s blocked, you want to see that yardage and some (extra),” Payton said. “The good runners, they have a little spaghetti sauce to the recipe that’s important. I don’t want to make comparisons to him because I haven’t been with him long enough, but when you see the consistency, it’s not an accident.”
Dobbins caught the eye of Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph last year.
“He’s a real runner,” Joseph said. “Playing him last year, I thought he was one of the best backs we saw. His quickness, his power he plays with, his intelligence on third down — he’s a three-down back. That makes it difficult. One-on-one, he was a tough tackle for us. So, I’m happy he’s a Bronco.”
But Harvey is also a key element. Dobbins acknowledged Harvey’s youth, according to broncoswire.com.
“I’ll bring those skills, but I know this room is also young,” Dobbins said. “I want to bring some leadership to them. (I want to) help them grow as NFL players, because it can be tough. Especially the young rookie, RJ, he’s going to be really good.
“It’s my job as a six-year (veteran) now — going on six years — I’m still 26, though, I’m young. It’s my job to help him grow and pass the game along to him. Hopefully, he has a great career. He’s going to be really good. I see a special player in him. He’s going to help me out, and I’m going to help him out. He’s going to be great.”
Safety Brandon Jones looking to shine
A six-year veteran, Jones said he wants to build on the success he had in his first year in Denver, according to denverbroncos.com.
“Overall, I want to grow in every aspect,” Jones said Tuesday. “I don’t think you can ever be too good at one thing. I was glad I was able to show that I can be more versatile, especially being labeled early on in my career as one thing. I’m just excited to continue to do what I can do and be a great teammate and leader for this defense.”
Jones totaled three interceptions and a team-high 115 tackles last season. And he should get help from newcomer Talanoa Hufanga.
“I would say both of us are really good at multitasking,” Jones said. “We can do a lot of different things. Whatever is asked of us. We can just have a lot of freedom and feel comfortable with whoever goes down in certain situations. We have a lot of faith and trust in each other. I think that goes a long way.”
-1745285575-q80.webp "Ristolainen's injury opens door for Flyers' young defensemen in camp")
-1741571537-q80.webp "Rangers demolished by Blue Jackets as they completely fumble crucial back-to-back")