RB Blake Watson will need a strong summer if he wants to make the Broncos 53-man roster

The Broncos second year back will need a strong summer to make the 53-man roster.

After a productive year at Memphis, many believed running back Blake Watson would be drafted. For whatever reason, that did not happen, and he became one of the prizes of the undrafted free agency period. Multiple teams had interest in the explosive runner, but he would ultimately end up signing with the Denver Broncos.

I had high hopes for Watson entering training camp. The Broncos’ running back room was iffy at best, and he profiles as a type of back that could flourish in Sean Payton’s offense. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury and was sidelined for multiple training camp practices. This was a setback for the undrafted rookie, but he was still able to make the Broncos’ initial 53-man roster.

Despite making the team, he was not activated and ultimately was waived by the Broncos in October. However, he was re-signed to their practice squad soon after and would once again be added to the 53-man roster late in the year.

Watson would only appear in two regular-season games and total 4 rushing attempts for 10 yards. He would also see 2 targets in the passing game and have 1 reception for 13 yards. Although the sample size was limited, Watson did show some flashes of potential in the 5 touches he had last season.

Now, he enters an important second season with the Broncos, where he will need a strong summer to make the 53-man roster. Unfortunately for Watson, it has been a rough start for him as he has sat out multiple OTA and minicamp practices and has watched the Broncos add to the running back room this offseason.

Player Profile

Blake Watson | Running Back | Broncos

Height: 5-9

Weight: 195 pounds

Age: 25 years old

Experience: 2nd NFL season

2024 stats: 4 carries for 10 yards and 1 reception for 13 yards

Broncos RB Blake Watson’s 2025 Outlook

First and foremost, he needs to get healthy and stay healthy. He was dealing with an injury during camp last season that cost him valuable practice reps and has missed a chunk of OTAs and minicamp this offseason. If he wants to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster, he needs to be healthy and on the field this summer.

As for his odds of making the team, they seem slim at best right now. The team drafted R.J. Harvey in the second round of the draft and then signed veteran J.K. Dobbins earlier this month. Those two are expected to dominate the touches at the running back position, leaving maybe one or two roster spots available. Second-year running back Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin appear to be the favorites for those jobs, while Tyler Badie could make a push as well. All three of those backs played ahead of Watson last season, so he’ll need to show more than he did if he wants to pass them on the depth chart.

He is an undersized back, but his receiving upside is what makes him an intriguing option for the Broncos. We all know how Sean Payton loves to utilize his backs in the passing game, and Watson, a former receiver, profiles as that type of back. So, that is the area of the game he likely will need to excel at during the summer if he wants to make the team.

Final Thoughts

As I have said, Watson needs a strong summer to make the team. A spot on the 53-man roster seems highly unlikely at the moment, and even a practice squad spot is not a guarantee. If Audric Estime did not make the team, he would be a strong candidate for that spot, and I believe Tyler Badie has a better shot currently as well.

I was high on Watson last season, but my opinion has soured a bit after last season. The Broncos’ running back room was awful last season, and despite that, he was waived off the 53-man roster, did not make an impact, and saw others receive bigger opportunities ahead of him.

First, he will need to get healthy. Hopefully, we see him healthy and ready to go at the start of camp, and we’ll see if he can do enough to make the team out of camp once again this year.