Report: Former XFL RB Jacques Patrick to Attend Broncos Minicamp

A fit for Sean Payton?

Bucking many a mock, the Denver Broncos emerged from the 2023 NFL draft without addressing the running back position. But their reticence may have been by design.

Per media reports, former standout XFL RB Jacques Patrick was invited to and will attend Denver's rookie minicamp next week — the first such camp under new head coach Sean Payton, whose affinity for dual-threat backs is well documented.

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Playing for the San Antonio Brahmas, Patrick, 26, finished last season as the XFL's second-leading rusher, compiling 443 yards and five touchdowns on 115 carries. He also paced all RBs in receiving with 30 catches for 238 scoreless yards.

The 6-foot-2, 234-pound bruiser went undrafted out of Florida State in 2019 and, multiple practice-squad stints later, made two regular season appearances for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, before resurfacing in the startup league.

"Pinball banger with tremendous size and power who doesn't have the vision or agility to find his own running room and doesn't seem to care," his NFL.com scouting profile reads. "Patrick is a banger who lands crunching blows to tacklers, but he's missing the minimum standard of creativity expected of a backup NFL running back. He could struggle to find a roster spot with his power alone and might need to trim down, add more quickness and look to impress teams with his ability to hold up in blitz protection."

Though no guarantee he's signed, Patrick would bolster a wide-open Broncos backfield featuring Javonte Williams (whose Week 1 status is in doubt), free-agent additions Samaje Perine and Tony Jones, holdovers Damarea Crockett, Tyreik McAllister, and Tyler Badie, and UDFAs Jaleel McLaughlin and Emanuel Wilson.

“We're going to keep looking for certain positions," general manager George Paton said after the draft. "It doesn’t end. We're going to keep looking. That's part of what you do. When you're in my seat, you're always looking to help your football team."

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