Broncos free agency target: Devin Singletary

Running backs, running backs, running backs. The Denver Broncos could sure use some help at the position.

Thankfully, this year’s free agent and prospective draft classes feature a multitude of backs who would help boost the franchise’s running back group.

One name to keep an eye on is Devin Singletary, whose jack-of-all-trades skillset make him an intriguing option for the Broncos.

Highlighting Singletary’s career to date

The Buffalo Bills drafted Singletary in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The former Florida Atlantic star who rushed for 4,287 yards and 66 touchdowns in three collegiate seasons has endured success in the pros as well.

After starting only a handful of games as a rookie, Singletary has been the Bills’ primary back in a rotation for the past three seasons. Even with splitting time with other backs, he has been productive in his reps on the field.

In his four seasons in the NFL, Singletary has played in 61 games with 56 career starts and has racked up 3,151 yards on just 672 carries and 16 touchdowns. Additionally, he has proven to be a reliable weapon in the receiving game with 193 receptions for 971 yards and 4 touchdowns to date.

That’s a lot of quality production with minimal mileage. In fact, he has averaged roughly 168 carries a year. Couple that with the fact he is only 25 years old and it’s safe to say he has a lot of great football ahead of him.

The major red flag with Singletary are his fumbling issues—who has 13 total over the course of his career. After Broncos Country enduring the Melvin Gordon Experience the past few years, it might be safe to say many would want to avoid him for that reason.

Why he makes sense for the Broncos

With the Bills drafting James Cook in last year, it’s a good assumption that Devin Singletary might head elsewhere.

Even with the fumbling concerns, Singletary’s production and starting experience would make him a logical choice given his success to date. On top of that, his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield only further solidifies his fit for Sean Payton’s offense.

Getting a back who can average well over 1,000 all-purpose yards a season is never a bad thing. He might never be the “lead horse” in Denver, but he can certainly profiles as a good back who can help the team out in a variety of ways.

Examining Sanders’ free agent market

Each and every season teams are in the market to upgrade their rushing attack. With a loaded draft and free agent class, I would expect players signing with other teams taking a bit longer than usual.

It’s impossible to know who will be the first to sign, but there’s no doubt that Singletary will have at least a half dozen suitors across the league.

According to Spotrac, Singletary’s market value is roughly $5.5M a season. That’s less than Miles Sanders, Josh Jacobs, and a handful of other backs who are expected to make several million more per season annually. But given the wealth of talent available, it’s possible that Singletary makes a bit less than that on the open market. And if so, I think it’d be worth the Broncos chasing him as a possibility.