Audric Estime
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Denver Broncos running back Audric Estime.
How talented running back Audric Estime is wasn’t the problem with the Denver Broncos. In the end it was about his attitude and his willingness to compete.
The Philadelphia Eagles are willing to roll the dice that Estime, a 2024 fifth round pick, has already learned some tough lessons after he was released by the Broncos on August 25.
Estime’s bad reputation for pouting — something he was called out for in Denver — won’t do him much good in his next stop on Philadelphia’s practice squad.
“Sources: The#Eagles are signing former#Broncos RBAudric Estime to their practice squad,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on August 27 “Talented young RB out of Notre Dame lands in Philly.”
“Former#broncos RBAudric Estime is signing with the#Eagles practice squad per source,” The Athletic’s James Palmer wrote on his official X account. “Estime is a bruiser back that’s still young, 21 years old, and was a 5th round pick a year ago. Change of scenery will be … good for him.”
ffAs a rookie in 2024, Estime had 76 carries for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns while averaging 4.1 yards per carry.
Estime Responded To Competition With Pouting
Denver’s weakest position group in 2024 was arguably their running backs. It was something that was addressed several times in the offseason as the Broncos drafted UCF’s RJ Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft and signed free agent J.K. Dobbins.
While that duo will probably end up with the bulk of the carries for the Broncos in 2024, Denver was probably always going to keep 4 running backs.
Estime ran into trouble when he took umbrage with his position on the depth chart — which is truly inconsequential on a Sean Payton coached team in the preseason — and former Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay called him out for “pouting” over where he was listed.
Lindsay implied attitude issues had been an issue for Estime dating back to his rookie season.
Add in Estime’s underwhelming performance in a 27-7 preseason win over the Arizona Cardinals on August 16 in which he had 9 carries for 20 yards (2.2 yards per carry) and we start to see the writing on the wall.
“Show the coaching staff that you want this job,” Lindsay said on July . “Instead, with Audric Estime, it seems like he would walk to his rep or when he’s sitting there it’s like he’s not paying close enough attention or he’s going through the motions because he’s pouting … to the coaches it seems like you’re the same person as last year, and when things don’t go your way, you pout.”
33 days until Notre Dame football. Throwback to Audric Estime’s 80 yard rushing touchdown on the road vs NC State in 2023 pic.twitter.com/wim8XKk6r7
— CJ Carr Enjoyer (@UndercoverFan24) July 29, 2025
Broncos Would Have Given Estime More Chances
While Estime seemed destined to start the season at third on the depth chart, there was no guarantee he was going to have to stay there — his opportunity would have certainly come at some point early in the season.
Instead, the Broncos start the season with Harvey and Dobbins, along with Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie as backups on their 53-man roster.
The Eagles kept 3 running backs on the 53-man roster in reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley and veteran A.J. Dillon.