Broncos Place RB Blake Watson on NFI List to Start Camp

The undrafted rookie is eligible to return at any time.

May 23, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson (4) and running back Blake Watson (43) during organized team activities at Centura Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos placed running back Blake Watson on the Active/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list after the undrafted rookie reported to training camp Wednesday, per the league's transaction wire.

Watson — though it wasn't specified why he landed on NFI — will be eligible to return at any point during camp.

#Broncos placed RB Blake Watson on the active/non-football injury list.

— NFLTradeRumors.co (@nfltrade_rumors) July 17, 2024

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The 6-foot-2, 220-pound back was among 13 college free agents who joined the Broncos following the 2024 NFL draft. As a priority signing, he received $275,000 in guarantees, indicating the team's interest in utilizing his multi-purpose abilities.

Watson began his collegiate career at Old Dominion where he totaled 2,594 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns over three seasons. But the 24-year-old burst into the spotlight after transferring to Memphis for the 2023 campaign, going on to record personal highs across the board — rushing yards (1,152), yards per carry (6.0), rushing TDs (14), receptions (53), receiving yards (245), and receiving scores (3).

Broncos coach Sean Payton has loosely compared Watson's talents to that of five-time Pro Bowl RB Alvin Kamara, whom Payton helped develop in New Orleans.

"Look, we use that ‘joker’ term a little bit. That was one of the traits though that stood out," Payton said in June. "He was one of those guys again in the seventh round, sixth round, but we saw a player that was natural catching the ball. That was a big draw. When we read a player, that was a draw to his vision. What’s the vision? So now we’re learning more about him. I’m not making the comparison, but when [the Saints] drafted Kamara, we saw that vision, but we didn’t realize the other things in the running game. The first handoff in the preseason I think against the Chargers, he went 52 yards for a touchdown. And we were like, ‘Man, we can hand the ball off to him.’ But if you asked me the traits that attracted us to Blake, it was certainly that that we saw in the passing game, and you saw pretty good football IQ too."

Denver obviously has plans for Watson, but those plans cannot be actualized until he hits the grass and begins separating himself in a muddied backfield that includes Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Tyler Badie.

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