Mile High Report
Last Saturday, the Denver Broncos were able to soundly defeat the San Francisco 49ers in their first preseason game. There were a lot of positives from the game fans across Broncos Country should be excited about. Though a handful of critiques and negatives were evident. Rest assured, the team is hoping to address over the following weeks leading up to the regular season.
One major topic of discussion that arose after the 49ers game was the performance of rookie running back RJ Harvey. His speed, athleticism and burst were a delight to see. That matches up with the highlights and tape we saw from his collegiate days at the University of Central Florida. However, Harvey’s penchant for bouncing runs was something some took issue with. While he certainly was able to get away with that in college, the challenges and rigors of the National Football League won’t allow him to do that quite as easily.
In front of the media yesterday, Head Coach Sean Payton expressed extreme confidence in his second-round pick. He knows he has the ability to hit the second gear and swing to the boundary, but also knows he has the talent and ability to make an impact as a runner cutting back inside.
“He can get through the line of scrimmage the same way. There was one where we felt like, ‘Trust it, be a little bit more patient.’ He’s an extremely instinctive runner. We’re going to get a number of looks to see him between the tackles,” stated Payton.
In Ross Allen’s film review of Harvey’s reps, Allen noted on a few occasions that the former UCF standout could have taken a path in between the tackles—a few more than Payton mentioned. Though overall, he wasn’t too worried about his performance. Moreover, believes any mistakes or issues can be corrected and that the Broncos’ new running back and offensive line will be just fine this season.
Of historical note, it’s worth mentioning Alvin Kamara was very much the same way in college at Tennessee and during the early days of his career with the New Orlean Saints. It took some time, but eventually Kamara became a quality runner in between the tackles as he gained more NFL experience. After just one game, it might be apt for fans to be a little bit more patient with Harvey, who certainly has the potential to make an impact for the Broncos’ offense in 2025.
For this weekend’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, Payton is looking forward to calling runs that will give fans a better look of what Harvey’s capable of. And in turn, help the rookie feel more comfortable and gain some confidence prior to the start of the regular season.
“It’s all there on college tape and the best thing is that he’s such a willing learner. He’s very, not critical of himself, but man he wants to please and he’s very coachable. There are certain runs, as we get into looking at Arizona’s front...
