Second-year Denver Broncos running back Royce Freeman should have a bigger role in 2019." Denver Broncos Roster2019 Broncos roster review: Running back Royce FreemanNew https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Chris-Harris-Jr-Jersey ,51commentsSecond-year Denver Broncos running back Royce Freeman should have a bigger role in 2019.MDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:2019 Broncos roster review: Running back Royce FreemanTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Justin Edmonds/Getty ImagesThe Denver Broncos selected running back Royce Freeman in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Oregon. After having a prolific career for the Ducks, many expected Freeman to be the Broncos starter and have a Pro Bowl caliber rookie season for them. However, he was outshined by teammate and fellow rookie Phillip Lindsay and was slowed down by injuries throughout the year as well. Now with a complete overhaul on the offensive side of the ball, I think we will see Freeman have a bigger impact on the offense in 2019.Royce Freeman ProfileHeight: 6-0Weight: 229 poundsAge: 23 Experience: 2nd seasonAll things considered, it was a disappointing overall season for Freeman who had high expectations placed on him entering his rookie year. He dealt with injuries, a poor coaching staff, and the emergence of fellow rookie Phillip Lindsay. Now he will look for a bounce-back season in 2019.This past season for the Broncos, Freeman totaled 130 attempts in 14 total games(8 starts) for 521 yards(4.0 yards per carry) and 5 rushing touchdowns. He also added 14 receptions for 72 yards to his stat line. So again, not what many(myself included) expected from Freeman during his rookie year. Freeman told reporters earlier this year that he has high expectations for himself and that he battled through injuries in 2018 but still has “so much to offer still”.If you remember, Freeman suffered a naggy high ankle sprain last season that kept him out of two games and likely limited him throughout the remainder of the season. Freeman told reporters it was something he dealt with throughout the year but that the downtime during the offseason will certainly help him return to 100%.Freeman didn’t look like the same back after suffering that injury. Before, he looked explosive and powerful and was having a productive rookie year. After the injury, however, it appeared that he lost that burst and that it was clearly hampering him some. So having a healthy Freeman back in the fold in 2019 should be beneficial for the Broncos offense. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesAs for his expectations for the 2019 season, Freeman told reporters that he is going to continue to put in the work day in and day out and that everything will take care of itself because of that. A mindset I can get behind. Personally, I feel like we will see Freeman be used more and more effectively in 2019. This isn’t a knock on Phillip Lindsay, but I think we will see their talents used more effectively in Rich Scangarello’s offense. Freeman fits perfectly as your one-cut, downhill runner in his zone-running scheme. He is built to be your bell cow and someone who can flourish in short-yardage and in goal-line situations. This is how I think he will be used, and will potentially earn more rushing attempts than Lindsay in some games. Meanwhile, I think we will see Lindsay’s rushing attempts limited because of his size and play style while getting him more involved in the passing game and/or getting him into space more. This is something the prior coaching staff struggled with last season and something I expect to be managed much better this upcoming season. Also, keep in mind how important the run game will be to this team this season. They do not want the entire offense to be on Joe Flacco’s shoulders. The run game will be leaned on and a focal point of this offense in my opinion and there will be plenty of touches for both players. I just think they will manage it much better and this likely means more touches for Freeman. The goodWith Phillip Lindsay sidelined due to an injury, Royce Freeman has been handling the number one duties at running back during the spring practices. This is a plus because it gives him a bit of an advantage on learning the offense as well as being used in other roles that he really wasn’t used in last year. Reports coming out of Broncos practices are saying that Freeman looks “swift as a receiver” and is catching passes in stride. This is a plus and a bit eyebrow-raising after Freeman was not really used in that role last season. This is a plus for him because many assume that Phillip Lindsay and even Devontae Booker are better receivers and have been used in that role more during their career. So if Freeman can eat into their touches in the passing game Shaquil Barrett Color Rush Jersey , it could earn him more touches and maybe even a larger role in the offense. Freeman is also the only real power back they have on offense. Lindsay plays bigger than he is, but he’s still 190(or less) and Booker while being a bigger back, isn’t a powerful back so that leaves Freeman. He proved he can do well in this scenario’s as well and add in the offensive line should improve under Mike Munchak so he should do even better in these roles this upcoming season. Finally, I think Rich Scangarello and the zone-blocking system will benefit Freeman a bunch. He has good vision and is your prototypical one-cut runner. Many backs with similar traits and build have flourished in this same exact system for years. So again, I think we see a bit of a bounce-back year for Freeman. The badWhile this entire article has been pumping up the Royce Freeman stock, we should pump the brakes just a bit. Phillip Lindsay is still on this roster and still greatly outperformed Freeman last season. Yes, he is dealing with a wrist injury, but that should have zero impact on his burst and explosiveness that made him a bit of a phenom last season. Add in Lindsay being used in the passing game more and he could easily pass Freeman on the pecking order once again. I think they will start out as an even compliment, but if Lindsay continues doing what he does, it will be hard not to get him the ball. This means that Freeman needs to impress early and often as well as staying healthy. He can’t afford to have another nagging injury that could derail is ascending stock once again. I still think Freeman has a bounce back year, but Lindsay could easily once again limit his touch count this upcoming season. Don’t overlook Booker and his receiving skills cutting into his workload as well. QuotablesRoyce Freeman on he and running back Phillip Lindsay entering their second seasons together.“Last year was definitely a great 1-2 punch. I think that we complement each other really well. He goes out there and does his thing. I feel like I can go out and do the same. I think we both have the mindset that no matter who is in the game, we’re both able to accomplish what the offense needs and trade off.”Royce Freeman on balancing being happy for Lindsay with personally not having as much success as a rookie.“I think that’s the type of person that I am. I always want to see my brothers succeed, and he earned it. He went out there and he played so fierce and competitively. But also the competitive nature in both of us and pushing each other, I think that’s what is actually important. Because when I was down, I was helping him out and telling him what I saw on the field or in these areas. He did the same for me. I think that’s the competitive nature as well as the helpful mindset we have in the running backs room.”Royce Freeman HighlightsRoyce Freeman’s roster status with the BroncosFreeman is obviously a lock to make the team, but his usage is the big question here. Will he be the main ball carrier while Lindsay spells in as a runner and receiver? Or will he play second fiddle to Lindsay once again in 2019? That’s the big question here that will remain unanswered until the start of the regular season. I personally believe the change in offense likely benefits him the most of the three backs and the focus on the run game should play into his hands as well. He’s a one-cut downhill runner who can handle a heavy workload. This would allow you to use Lindsay in multiple different roles and even put him on the field at the same time as Freeman. It also lets you limit Lindsay’s touches which is something I believe will be a priority this year. Now, I could be off and Lindsay’s talent makes your scrap the “limit the touches” narrative and Freeman is used as the short-yardage/goal line/compliment back instead. Either way, the Broncos have two talented young backs to lean on this upcoming season and will need both to produce to have a successful 2019 season. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos coach Vance Joseph said former first-round pick Paxton Lynch was “obviously motivated” by his demotion to third-string quarterback last week “and that’s a good sign. He’s upset and he should be upset.”Lynch might not have enough time to channel that frustration and salvage a roster spot.Chad Kelly of Ole Miss, “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final pick of the 2017 draft, has outworked and outplayed Lynch all summer and in both of Denver’s exhibition games.He’s expected to get a long look in relief of starter Case Keenum on Friday night in Washington as general manager John Elway decides whether to add a veteran backup instead.That likely leaves Lynch with mop-up duty at best. He might even have to wait until Denver’s exhibition finale at Arizona to persuade the Broncos brass to keep him around.After leapfrogging Lynch Brian Dawkins Jersey , Kelly had another solid performance, throwing for 90 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-9 passing against Chicago before leaving a 23-10 lead to Lynch, who again faltered as the Bears came back to win 24-23 Saturday night.Afterward, Lynch said he never wanted the No. 2 job he lost to Kelly .“I want to be THE quarterback. I don’t want to be a backup and I definitely don’t want to be third-string quarterback,” Lynch said. “The cards have been dealt to this point in time and I’m not quitting. I’ll never quit. My mom never quit. My dad never quit. My brother never quit. I’m never going to quit and I’m working hard.”It’s just not paying off for the former Memphis QB who hasn’t shown the progress the Broncos expected entering his third season in the NFL even with Trevor Siemian, whom he couldn’t beat out the past two summers, now playing in Minnesota.By many measures, Lynch has actually regressed since Elway moved up to select Lynch.He’s won just one of his four NFL starts, and that was in his rookie year when he went 1-1 with two TDs and an interception. Last year, he was 0-2 with one TD and three interceptions.In the preseason, his slide is even more dramatic:— 2016: 40 for 68 for 458 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.— 2017: 16 for 24 for 90 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.— 2018: 11 for 22 for 63 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.Lynch was booed when he entered the game against the Bears at Mile High. Denver’s fan base has apparently had enough of the man Elway envisioned as his next franchise quarterback.“I feel bad for Paxton, but our fans want to win,” Joseph said, adding that Lynch “has to ignore it and go play. It’s professional football. No one is going to hold your hand, so he has to go out there and perform.”That tough love approach is a departure from the kid-glove treatment Lynch enjoyed in the past .Even when Lynch was having a tough time digesting the playbook and the speed of the game, unable to use proper footwork or decipher defenses to capitalize on his natural talents, the Broncos brass kept its faith in him.With Lynch struggling this preseason, Kelly, who missed his entire rookie season last year while recovering from wrist and ankle injuries, has gone 21 of 30 for 267 yards, three TDs https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Demarcus-Ware-Jersey , an interception and two sacks.Lynch’s demotion puts him on notice with roster cuts looming.“When I first got the news, I was pretty upset about it because I know how hard I work, I know how bad I want to play and I know how much this means to me,” Lynch said. “Sometimes you go through tough tests just to take you to a whole other level. I’m taking it that way and working my butt off.”Lynch said he realizes poor quarterback play is especially untenable in Denver, where Elway and Peyton Manning won Super Bowls.“I just haven’t been playing well,” he said. “That’s not acceptable, especially playing quarterback here, you’ve got to play well and give your team an opportunity to win every week.”Lynch insists his confidence isn’t shaken.“Yeah, if you don’t believe in yourself then no one else is going to believe in you,” he said. “That’s what I have to do. I have to hang on that, come to work every day and get better.”MILITARY SALUTEBroncos receiver Demaryius Thomas traded his autographed jersey to a U.S. Airman who participated in USAA’s “Salute to Service NFL Boot Camp” at the team’s training facilities Tuesday.In return, Thomas received a pair of military challenge coins , one from the 1st Space Battalion and another from a Chief Master Sergeant.“It’s always good to see them come out and support us, and we can support them back,” Thomas said.The ninth-year pro was the only player to receive military medallions in exchange for his jersey.“I’m trying to decide if I they’re going to travel with me for the season or they’re going in the locker with me or I’m going to take them home,” Thomas said. “I think I want to travel with them.”Notes: WR Carlos Henderson, who failed to report to training camp while dealing with family issues, visited general manager John Elway at team headquarters Tuesday morning.