Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey believes the Denver Broncos could take a big step forward in 2026 if they commit to the run.
"[H]e did great," Bailey told Broncos Wire when asked about rookie running back RJ Harvey while promoting Panini America at the Super Bowl. "I think that's the thing about rookies, man. There's going to be moments where it jumps on them too much. And I just felt like (Sean Payton) didn't put too much on his plate too early. And then once J.K. Dobbins went down, you saw his snap count go up. And rightfully so, because he made some really good plays."
Harvey had flashes of brilliance throughout his rookie season. Harvey led the Broncos (and all NFL rookies) in total touchdowns with 12, starting seven games and finishing the year with 1,249 all-purpose yards.
"I was happy to see the way he ran between the tackles and how tough he was," Bailey said. "I just think they need to dial that up a lot more this year, make sure they got a healthy running back room. And feature him and put him in space and then get somebody who can run downhill, you know, line him up in the backfield with somebody else."
Some backs who have been connected to the Broncos ahead of free agency include New York Jets running back Breece Hall and Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier.
Harvey still has some room for improvement, Bailey said. " I think the more they can (run between the tackles), the better chance they are going to have it winning because, from where I sit, (Harvey is) dynamic, he can do a lot, but it's still, running between the tackles need to be the priority," said Bailey. "Pounding people, keeping it third and short and making it easy for your offense to keep converting and keep running the ball."
Bailey joined other NFL players and legends at the Panini Prizm VIP lounge in San Francisco, and he told Broncos Wire that he appreciates when fans ask him to sign one of his cards with a picture he's never seen before. He also noted, though, that the pictures used can be deceiving.
"There was a college picture of mine, I think I was jumping over the pile and it almost looked like I scored, but if I remember right, I got my ass blasted and I just started thinking like, 'Damn, you know, people can make things look so different than what the result really was in a still shot,'" Bailey said. "I was happy to see that at that moment. But yeah, just shots that kind of mislead you a little bit. It makes you think something good happened, when all in all, I could have fumbled or got knocked out, you know?"
Bailey might not have scored on that particular play, but he scored four times on defense and once on offense during his Hall of Fame career in the NFL. After watching Harvey score 12 times in 2025, Bailey believes the running back has a bright future, but he'd also like to see Denver add another productive option to the backfield this offseason.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Champ Bailey gives his take on RJ Harvey