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With their victory over the Titans last Sunday, the Denver Broncos went on to sign Deuce Vaughn to the practice squad after he had participated in a workout the previous week. The move was reported Tuesday, giving the former Dallas Cowboys running back a fresh opportunity in the AFC West.
His agent, Jovan Barnes, praised the addition, emphasizing Vaughn’s work ethic and character.
“He’s a hard worker. There could be a connection there. … I was excited when they expressed their interest, and now it’s up to Deuce to do what he does. … He’s a great player and a great young man,” Barnes said, according to Sports Illustrated.
A sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Vaughn spent two seasons in Dallas, appearing in 14 games. He totaled 168 yards from scrimmage on 50 touches but did not score.
Before his NFL career, Vaughn starred at Kansas State, where he was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2020 and later earned consensus All-American honors. Listed at 5-foot-6 and 176 pounds, his size often raised questions among scouts, but his versatility and production kept him on the field. His viral draft moment came in 2023, when his father, Chris Vaughn — a Cowboys scout — delivered the call that Dallas had selected him.
For now, Vaughn will serve as the lone back on Denver’s practice squad, behind the four running backs on the 53-man roster: J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Tyler Badie, and Jaleel McLaughlin. McLaughlin was inactive for Week 1 against Tennessee, while Dobbins and Harvey combined for 133 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ 20-12 win.
After the opener, head coach Sean Payton spoke about the running game and the importance of balance.
“There are times where we want to run the RPOs, there are times we want to kill to the throws, but there are also times when we want to run the ball,” Payton said.”We kind of moved in that direction in the second half and then hit some big plays where we knew it was going to be a run. So I have to be better there, and it’s one of those day afters where you look back and say, ‘All right, let’s look at how we really wanted to start this game,’ and get those two runners going because we think we’ve really improved in that area,” he added.
Vaughn’s departure from Dallas closed one chapter, but his arrival in Denver puts him in a new system under Payton, who has stressed the importance of depth in the backfield.
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