The Denver Broncos have revamped their backfield this offseason, which led to the team releasing running back Audric Estime earlier this week.
It was surely a difficult decision for the Broncos, as they selected Estime in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and he proceeded to show some promise during his rookie campaign. But after bringing in both J.K. Dobbins and draft pick RJ Harvey over the last several months, there just wasn't any more room for Estime.
Like any other player that gets cut, there is a chance that Estime could return to Denver on its practice squad, but Broncos fans shouldn't be holding their breath.
Mike Klis of 9 News has reported that the chances of Estime returning to the Mile High City seem very slim, noting that he has interest elsewhere.
That Estime has other clubs interested in him hardly comes as a surprise, especially given the need for halfbacks around the league right now.
Plus, Estime put together a rather impressive career at Notre Dame. He registered 920 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry during his first season as a starter in 2022, and during his final campaign with the Fighting Irish, he racked up 1,341 yards and 18 scores on 6.4 yards per attempt.
Still just 21 years old (he turns 22 just before the start of the 2025 NFL season), he rushed for 310 yards and a couple of scores on 4.1 yards per tote in 2024.
There is plenty of room for Estime to grow and develop, so it would actually be surprising if another squad didn't come along and pick him up before Week 1.
The Broncos are banking on Dobbins — who has a vast injury history — staying healthy, and they like Harvey quite a bit. Denver also has Jaleel McLaughlin on its depth chart, and Tyler Badie is currently holding the fourth running back slot.
Perhaps keeping Badie over Estime will prove to be a mistake, but the Broncos could be considering using Badie on special teams. Hence Sean Payton's decision to keep him over Estime.
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