One of the Broncos' more noteworthy roster cuts on Sunday was running back Jaleel McLaughlin. The former undrafted free agent made the team as a rookie after a standout performance during the preseason and became a key member of the Broncos' offense for a period of time. Despite being undersized, McLaughlin ran well between the tackles and had some big plays for the team. However, the tide started to turn last season when McLaughlin was inactive for several games prior to the injury to veteran running back JK Dobbins. He did see some late-season action, but struggled to really get anything going on the ground.
Jaleel would re-sign on a one-year deal with the Broncos this offseason, but the selection of standout rookie Jonah Coleman in the draft really put his roster spot in danger. Ultimately, McLaughlin played behind Coleman throughout the summer, and the writing appeared to be on the wall when McLaughlin played well into the fourth quarter of the preseason finale.
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Still, this was a tough cut for the Broncos. McLaughlin was a favorite in that locker room, and General Manager George Paton called McLaughlin the "toughest cut" they had to make at the roster deadline this year.
When asked what went into the decision to keep Tyler Badie over Jaleel McLaughlin, Paton said it was tough, but special teams and third-down ability played into it.
"Yes, that was really tough. Really, all three of those runners, they're all really good runners; they're all different. A lot goes into it, obviously. [RB] Jaleel [McLaughlin], he's something else. He was really important to this team- the passion, everything he brings. They have two different skill sets, without going into too much detail. So without getting into details, it was a really hard decision. Obviously, special teams are involved, third-down ability. There's a lot involved, but that was probably the last decision we made, this fourth runner."
The special teams and third-down ability part is what ultimately mattered here. McLaughlin is a better running back than Tyler Badie; however, Badie offers a lot more as a pass blocker and on special teams. When you're the RB4 on the roster, those are two things you need to excel at, and that is where Tyler Badie had the edge and is the same reason why he was active over McLaughlin last season.
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Heading into Week 1, the Broncos' running back room looks pretty good on paper. Veteran JK Dobbins was among the league leaders in rushing prior to his injury, and if he can stay healthy, he will be a big part of this offense this season. Then you have the pass-catching specialist RJ Harvey, who has great speed and can pop off a big run at any moment and make some big plays in the passing game. He is coming off a 12-touchdown rookie year and will look to repeat that again this season. Then you have impressive rookie Jonah Coleman, who should factor into this backfield right away. He's a powerful back with good short-area quickness who can pass block and catch passes out of the backfield. Coleman has the makings of a future impact starter. Finally, you have Badie, who could be inactive most weeks, but he offers some running and pass-catching ability and is mostly on the roster for his pass-blocking and special-teams ability.
We shall see where Jaleel McLaughlin lands today. Will he be claimed, sign to the Broncos' practice squad, or start fresh somewhere else and continue his NFL career?
