Broncos roster review: Running Back Blake Watson

The undrafted rookie has a pretty good shot at making the 53-man roster and being a contributor during his rookie year for the Broncos.

Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, Memphis running back Blake Watson was widely viewed as an intriguing day-three prospect. NFL Network’s lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah had him ranked as his 142nd overall player in the draft while The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had a 6th-7th round grade on him. Ultimately, Watson ended up going undrafted and the Denver Broncos made it a priority to make sure they brought in this talented back.

According to 9NEWS Denver’s Mike Klis, the Broncos gave Memphis running back Blake Watson a $25k signing bonus and a $255k salary guarantee for a total of $275k in guaranteed money. This will be among the highest deals an undrafted free agent will get sources tell Klis. Getting a UDFA deal like this is often a sign that the team views the player highly and paid him what is needed to make sure they can get him.

During his career at Memphis, Watson had 3,296 yards rushing, averaged 5.6 yards per carry, and had 28 rushing touchdowns. He was also a weapon in the passing game as he hauled in 113 career receptions for 928 yards and 6 touchdown receptions.

Now, Watson joins a fairly crowded Broncos backfield with veterans Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine, electric second-year back Jaleel McLaughlin, and fellow rookie Audric Estime. He is a talented back who, if he can stay healthy, should make some noise this summer and push for a spot on the Broncos 53-man roster.

Player Profile

Blake Watson | Running Back | Broncos | #43

Height: 5-9

Weight: 195 pounds

40-time: 4.40 seconds (Pro Day)

Vertical Jump: 41.5 inches (Pro Day)

Broad Jump: 11’3”

Age: 24 years old

Experience: Rookie

How rookie running back Blake Watson fits with the Denver Broncos

He is an intriguing player with the potential to make the 53-man roster and have a role on special teams and offense.

I list special teams first because of his potential as a returner. The new kick-off rule will allow teams to have two returners lined up. We can assume Marvin Mims will be one of the returners but the other will be decided during training camp and the preseason. One player who figures to get a shot in that role is Blake Watson. He is an explosive player with good speed, the ability to make people miss, and the ability to be a productive returner if given the opportunity. He will not be the only player getting this shot, but it is likely his best shot to be active come week one.

As for the offensive side, it’ll be interesting to see how he factors into the conversation. Right now, you have veterans Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine followed by McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime ahead of him on the depth chart. How this backfield all shakes out will be something to watch this summer, but Watson likely need to have a strong summer to basically take someone’s job so he can make the roster as the Broncos’ third or fourth back.

There are already rumors/whispers about Javonte Williams potentially being on the roster bubble and some questioned if Perine would stick around after the team drafted Estime. So, how that all shakes out will likely impact whether or not Watson cracks the 53-man roster. Of course, injuries, which can pile up quickly at this position could help or hurt Watson’s chances as well.

One thing that could potentially help Blake Watson’s chances of making the roster is head coach Sean Payton loosely comparing him to Saints running back Alvin Kamara. He said Watson is a natural at catching the ball, praised his football IQ, and mentioned how Kamara had these same traits.

“No. Look, we use that ‘joker’ term a little bit. That was one of the traits though that stood out. He was one of those guys again in the seventh round, sixth round, but we saw a player that was natural catching the ball. That was a big draw. When we read a player, that was a draw to his vision. What’s the vision? So now we’re learning more about him. I’m not making the comparison, but when [the Saints] drafted [Saints RB Alvin] Kamara, we saw that vision, but we didn’t realize the other things in the running game. The first handoff in the preseason I think against the Chargers, he went 52 yards for a touchdown. And we were like, ‘Man, we can hand the ball off to him.’ But if you asked me the traits that attracted us to Blake, it was certainly that that we saw in the passing game, and you saw pretty good football IQ too. So good question.”

Watson is a natural receiver and we all know how Payton loves throwing to running backs. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix targeted his backs early and often at Oregon too so if Watson makes the roster, he could end up being a targets machine for the Broncos.

Final Thoughts

I think Watson has a pretty good shot at making the 53-man roster but how that room shakes out is the real question. He is at the very least a lock for the practice squad but I believe he is talented enough to make the team.

It is unlikely the team keeps five backs and for the sake of conversation, I’ll assume all of them will be healthy come week one. So, who doesn’t make the cut? If Javonte Williams looks like he did last year, it is possible but I don’t fully buy into those rumors yet. Perine makes sense because he was the pass-catching back for the Broncos and was pretty effective in that role. Watson would also give them a cheaper and younger option at the position. Jaleel McLaughlin is in no danger of not making the team by the sounds of it but their skill sets do overlap a bit. Rookie Audric Estime is a lock to make the team and is a much different back than Watson anyways.

At the end of the day, I don’t have an answer or even a prediction right now. We need to see these guys in pads and against live action before we truly know but I still like Watson’s potential.