All in on Etienne.
You are welcome, Broncos. This is your free agent wish list. Your offseason orange and blueprint.
Enough with starter by committee.
Enough with sacrificing games to develop a prospect.
Enough with a screen game that should be a drinking scream game.
Enough with under 4 yards per carry.
The Broncos have sprung to life over the past three years under coach Sean Payton. But when it comes to their offense, enough is enough. Payton surrendered play-calling to Davis Webb — it is in name only until evidence arrives in games — but that cannot suffice.
For the Broncos to reach the Super Bowl and win it — the last two steps on this remarkable climb back to relevancy — they have to go for it. Sign free agent running back Travis Etienne Jr.
Take cues from the Avs. No team understands the urgency of operating in a championship window like the local hockey club. The Nazem Kadri trade is a sensational move by an organization that cares about one thing — winning a championship.
Payton deserves praise for his work. As does general manager George Paton for creating a sturdy foundation through the draft.
But there is no longer room for patience. Be proactive, not reactive.
The NFL roster narrative is simple to follow. Construction hinges on having a franchise quarterback, as the Broncos have in Bo Nix.
And when you have one on a rookie contract, it provides an opportunity to take big swings at other positions. The Broncos are good at the most important: edge rusher, cornerback and left tackle.
They are not paying big money to a receiver or a tight end. And this is not the March to max out the credit card on those positions when reinforcements can be added in the draft.
That is not the case at running back. Once Jeremiyah Love comes off the board — possibly in the top five — the infatuation ends.
So pick up the phone and go big.
Etienne checks the boxes. He is dynamic. He is fast, capable of accelerating through the hole and shifting into third gear in the open field. He has soft hands and is better in space than an astronaut.
In many ways, he is a more available version of J.K. Dobbins. Dobbins was a terrific fit, but he played in only 10 games, unable to run away from his injury history.
Etienne, 27, has missed six games in four seasons. Durability is a skill. He has it. And he has also improved as a pass protector, meaning there should be no concern about leaving him in the game on third down.
It is a must to have a player like this. An obvious starter. And upgrade. R.J. Harvey boasts Joker traits in the passing game. He will not be forgotten. But context matters. The Broncos possess a championship-caliber defense. They are close.
This is not the platform to let a second-year player figure it out as he goes.
Enough.
The Broncos must address this position in a meaningful way. It feels like Broncos Country would rather step in front of a moving bus than add someone like Rico Dowdle or Kenneth Gainwell.
Kenneth Walker III? Sure. He is coming off the best game of his career. In the biggest game of his life. That requires paying showroom floor prices.
It is not my money, so the $14.6 million annually he will command — using Breece Hall’s franchise tag as the floor — does not bother me.
The issue? It does not make as much sense since Walker is not an every-down back. Even after Zach Charbonnet tore up his knee, Walker still yielded snaps to the backup.
Let the Chiefs set the market. It is clear they will add a runner to take the pressure off Patrick Mahomes as he recovers from knee surgery.
His patience as a runner is the most appealing characteristic, a style that could finally marry the solid blocking metrics with results.
It has been an uncomfortable question after the past two seasons. The Broncos’ offensive line ranks near the top of the pack, and somehow the run game remains mediocre or, as in the case of a huge fourth down in the AFC Championship, unreliable.
Payton and Paton have earned the benefit of the doubt in the way they have built this team. But goodwill will get siphoned without a big splash.
The external and internal expectations should intersect this week.
Last year was different. Objectively, the Broncos were a year ahead of schedule. So they can be forgiven for trying to get by without explosive weapons. Their one stab at it did not work as Evan Engram morphed into a platoon player.
The Broncos cannot afford to try to live on that margin again. The Rams are going for it, acquiring star cornerback Trent McDuffie. The Bills are making a strong push, acquiring receiver D.J. Moore. The Ravens are shipping off two first-round picks for edge rusher Maxx Crosby. And the Seahawks, even if Walker signs somewhere else, are not going anywhere.
This is the type of approach required in Denver. It is easy to argue that this is the most important offseason since the Broncos added DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and Emmanuel Sanders in 2014. That was back when John Elway was acting like George Steinbrenner.
This time around, the Broncos are only a fraction of that daring. A dash of that bold.
The Broncos have a problem. Their offense is not good enough for a championship. So, fix it.
Go to the ATM and sign Etienne.
It will be money well spent.
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