Sean Payton Sends Message to Broncos Rookie RB After NFL Debut
Denver Broncos fans who've been closely following the offseason and training camp with Mile High Huddle's reporting were looking forward to seeing how undrafted rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin performed in preseason Game 1. Broncos Country had to wait until late in Friday night's 18-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals before McLaughlin was inserted into the action.
But the rookie out of Youngstown State made his snaps count, finishing the night with four carries for 20 rushing yards and a go-ahead touchdown, to go along with one reception for 12 yards. Pretty solid production for a running back who received just 10 snaps in the game.
McLaughlin made his snaps count after taking a backseat to Samaje Perine, Tyler Badie, and Tony Jones, Jr. for most of the game. In the final analysis, though, there was one aspect of the rookie's night that stuck out to head coach Sean Payton post-game at the podium.
“Overall, pretty good. Pretty good," Payton said of McLaughlin's performance. "He had the ball come out once on one run, but we will see it on tape. We will have a chance to correct it.”
McLaughlin did fumble out of bounds on his 12-yard reception with 1:58 seconds left in the game, which is a no-no, especially in a game-critical situation. With quarterback Ben DiNucci in the game, hoping to lead a game-winning drive, any ball insecurity can spell doom for an NFL team.
As Payton said, though, the Broncos will study McLaughlin's brief lapse on tape and make any coaching emphasis required. However, as Payton said at the podium, McLaughlin was "pretty good" in his debut in the NFL, and that should give him some momentum entering preseason Game 2.
To hit pay-dirt in a critical situation in your first NFL game? That's "pretty good," too.
“It was a blessing," McLaughlin said post-game. "It sucks that we didn’t get the win. That is definitely something. I have been working hard like that for a long time since I was a kid. Now it is kind of a surreal moment... It would have felt even better but it was definitely a blessing to score a touchdown.”
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
