It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos‘ running game in 2024 left much to be desired. It’s essential to have a viable running game to win in the NFL and take pressure off the quarterback, especially if a team has a rookie like Bo Nix.

Unfortunately, the Broncos’ trio of Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime stunk it up so badly that Oscar the Grouch would be hesitant to be their roommate, only posting 1,478 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking 31st and 28th, respectively. Luckily for Denver, there’s a handful of free agents to choose from, and former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew believes Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris would be an ideal fit for the Broncos.

“The Broncos haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Phillip Lindsay in 2019. Harris, meanwhile, became the third player in the past 20 seasons to hit the 1K mark in each of his first four NFL campaigns (joining Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson). Sean Payton’s offense has steadily improved over his first two seasons in Denver, and the future looks bright with Bo Nix at quarterback. What’s missing now is a run game. Harris is a physical, downhill rusher who consistently breaks tackles. That’s the type of back Payton (and Nix) would welcome,” Jones-Drew wrote.

Bringing in a veteran back like Harris could do wonders for the Broncos. Denver hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher for a long time, but even more damning is not having a 100-yard rushing game from an individual running back in the last two years.

Harris would be an immediate upgrade over the current Broncos stable, with a hard-nosed running style allowing him to plow through defenders, which Williams has been incapable of doing. Behind the Broncos’ offensive line, a unit ranked No. 2 overall by Pro Football Focus, Harris could easily push past 1,000 yards and bring balance to an offense starving for production on the ground.

Harris’ four career 1,000-yard rushing seasons will catch Payton’s eye, as he’ll likely want a veteran presence in the backfield. The Broncos have money to spend in free agency, and adding a proven vet like Harris to their running back stable would give the offense a whole new dimension.

Payton loves to utilize his running backs but hasn’t had the talent to unleash the offense’s potential fully. Bringing Harris into the fold, in addition to selecting one of the multitude of outstanding backs in this year’s draft, Payton would get closer to replicating the production of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram from his time in New Orleans.