Last offseason, the Denver Broncos made it a priority to upgrade their running game. They spent a second-round pick on rookie running back R.J. Harvey and would sign veteran running back JK Dobbins later in the offseason. Dobbins would end up being one of the top backs in the NFL before suffering a season-ending Lisfranc injury. Meanwhile, rookie RJ Harvey would score 12 total touchdowns but struggle to consistently run the ball.
Once Dobbins went down with the Lisfranc injury, the Denver Broncos’ run game struggled to do much of anything in the second half of the year. Harvey only averaged 3.7 yards per carry this season, and did not produce all that much on the ground during the Broncos’ eventual postseason run. He made his mark in the passing game, sure, but his rush efficiency was not good.
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Now, with Dobbins coming off a season-ending Lisfranc injury and a free agent, the Broncos once again will be in the market for a running back. If they want to be Super Bowl contenders this upcoming season, they need to give quarterback Bo Nix a strong running game.
One player who could make sense for the Denver Broncos is Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle. He had a breakout 2024 season with the Cowboys and repeated that this past season with the Panthers. Dowdle had 236 carries for 1,076 yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. He also had 39 receptions for 297 yards and 1 receiving touchdown. His stats are nearly identical to what he did with the Cowboys in 24, so he is coming off back-to-back productive seasons for two different teams.
Dowdle’s production is on par with a lot of the top backs available in free agency, but his price tag might not be as high. Due to that, he is an under-the-radar and productive addition the Broncos can make to their backfield this offseason.
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Player Profile
Rico Dowdle | Running Back | Carolina Panthers
Height: 5-11
Weight: 225 pounds
Age: 27 years old (turns 28 in June)
Experience: 6th season in the NFL
2025 stats: 236 carries for 1,076 yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.6 yards per carry, 39 receptions for 297 yards, and 1 receiving touchdown
Should the Broncos sign running back Rico Dowdle?
He is at least an intriguing option for them.
The top backs like Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, and so on will likely demand top-of-the-market deals if they hit free agency. Meanwhile, Dowdle signed a one-year, $2,750,000 deal with the Panthers last season after coming off a nearly identical season he had this year. I’d imagine he will get more than that this time around, but even then, it won’t be anything that will break the bank.
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Dowdle also had some big performances this past season. He topped 200 rushing yards vs. the Dolphins and then followed that up with a 200+ total yard game the following week vs. the Cowboys. He would also have a 130-yard rushing performance vs. the Green Bay Packers later in the season. So, he has the talent to pop off some big games and did it in an offense that struggled to get things going throughout the year.
If you can get a back who has the potential to give you a couple of big rushing performances a year, top 1,000 yards, and score 5-7 touchdowns while paired with rookie RJ Harvey, you should be interested, especially with his price tag likely being much lower than that of the top backs.
Why the Broncos will not sign running back Rico Dowdle
Dowdle was a free agent last year, and the Broncos did not seem very interested. Despite their big need at running back and cap limitations due to the Russell Wilson dead cap, they passed on a 1,000-yard rusher who only received a one-year, $2.75 million dollar deal.
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If they really wanted Dowdle, you would have to assume they would have made something work there. Instead, Dowdle went to the Panthers and repeated his success once again. Now, with his price tag likely being a little bit higher, it doesn’t make sense for the Broncos to show interest this time around.
While Dowdle’s production looks good overall, those three big games really carried him throughout the year. His role and production slipped as the season went on with the Panthers, and he had a 7-carry for 10-yard performance vs. the Bucs in the wildcard round.
On top of all that, Dowdle will turn 28 years old in the offseason and will get closer to that dreaded 30-year-old age wall. Backs fall off quickly, and giving a multi-year deal to a back of that age will come with some risk.
I just think the Broncos will once again go in a different direction this offseason.
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Final Thoughts
The Broncos are going to add at running back this year, but I don’t think Rico Dowdle will be it. He’s a good running back with back-to-back productive seasons, but this isn’t a move you make when you’re a Super Bowl contender who needs a stronger run game.
Also, the fact that they didn’t show much interest at all last season when he signed for less than $3 million dollars is telling. His stats are nearly identical to what they were last season, so it wouldn’t make much sense for them to be interested this time around when his price tag will be higher.
I think the Broncos will make a big swing at running back this offseason. Names like Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Etienne, or even a surprise trade are the route I believe they will go. Even if they don’t go big, I would prefer a Tyler Allgeier or Brian Robinson and a few of the draft picks over Dowdle.
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