: Third-Down Specialist.
Royce Freeman: Your Secret Fantasy Flex Weapon.
Royce Freeman: COMPLETE BACK.
Bingo. Roll with that.
“Thatap my goal, always, to try to be a complete back,” said Freeman, the bruising Broncos tailback who’ll try to help a struggling offense get on track Sunday when Denver (1-2) visits Green Bay (2-0). “I can’t settle for anything less.”
The expectation this season was No. 28 would be the thunder to ’s lightning, the jab-jab-jab that sets up Lindsay’s uppercuts.
Only instead of three yards and a cloud of dust against the Bears last Sunday, Freeman found himself motioned wide. The big lug was out there running quick slants, a buffalo among the rabbits. The 6-foot, 238-pound back has already caught the ball six times over two games. After recording just 14 receptions for all of 2018, Freeman is on a pace for 48 grabs this season.
Itap early, granted. But the last Broncos running back to catch at least 40 balls in a season? Knowshon Moreno, with 60, in 2013.
Thatap complete back stuff, kids.
“I mean, I’ve always had confidence in my receiving end of things,” Freeman said. “Just getting that exposure — since I went to Oregon (in college), I’ve been implemented in the passing game a little bit; I learned how to catch the ball better, I think, when I started college. And even in the NFL, running routes against these defensive backs or linebackers that are of a higher level definitely takes more repetition and experience.”
The repetition came in the spring and summer, during drills at OTAs and film grind with running backs coach Curtis Modkins.
“(Modkins) knows how (we should) run routes, showing us films of past running backs that he’s had that ran routes very successfully, and trying to implement (their style),” said Freeman, who caught 79 balls for 814 yards over four seasons with the Ducks.
“We have Theo (Riddick), we have Devontae (Booker), they run routes really well, so I’m glad I get to be in the same room as them and watch their film on a daily basis. That helps me.”
That trust is a two-way street. With Riddick still on the mend with a shoulder issue, the Broncos have elected to roll with Lindsay or Freeman — or both — on third down. It’s on them to help keep quarterback clean in the pocket and/or bail their signal-caller out via hot routes.
“We play off each other,” said Freeman, who’s appeared on exactly half — 72 of 144 — of the Broncos’ offensive reps through two weeks. “I mean, there’s no problem. Nobody’s worried about how many reps they get. They’re worried about making the reps count.
“I think, especially as talented as (Lindsay) is, and especially as we go out there, playing off each other, it keeps the defense on their heels. And implementing both of us in the passing area will, I think, give defenses more to worry about.”
At the worst, itap given them something to think about.
