SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Audric Estime was fired up for last January’s playoff game at Buffalo, and many figured the big Broncos running back would get some key carries in the cold weather. But it didn’t happen.

Estime, then a rookie, was surprisingly benched for the 31-7 loss to the Bills in favor of Tyler Badie, who hadn’t played since suffering a back injury on a hard hit at the New York Jets in Week 4. But Badie got just two carries for eight yards.

“No comment on that,’’ Estime said after Saturday night’s 30-9 preseason win over San Francisco at Levi’s Stadium in his first comments to the media since prior to the playoff game.

But Estime did talk about how he believes he is a better back than the one who last season had 76 carries for 310 yards for a 4.1 average while playing in 13 games. Against the 49ers, he played only in the second half, carrying eight times for 21 yards and catching a 20-yard pass in 17 snaps.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better from last year,’’ said Estime, a fifth-round pick in 2024 out of Notre Dame. “Just being able to evaluate myself this offseason, I’m older, this is my second year in the offense, I’m playing faster, I know the plays and I just know where I need to be at.”

Nevertheless, Estime could find it more difficult to make the 53-man roster than as a rookie. The Broncos during the offseason added free agent J.K. Dobbins and selected RJ Harvey in the second round of the draft. They are in line to be Denver’s two top backs.

It remains to be seen if the Broncos will keep three or four running backs on the initial roster. Estime is battling Badie, Jaleel McLaughlin and Blake Watson to make it.

Estime insisted he experienced “no frustration” when the Broncos beefed up the running back room during the offseason.

“We play off each other,” Estime said of the logjam at the position. “We’re not competing. It’s not any devious thing. We’re all looking at ways to get better honestly. … We’ve got really good backs and that’s the NFL. Every room has good backs, and you just got to take advantage of your opportunity and use that as fuel to get better.”

Against the 49ers, Broncos coach Sean Payton started Harvey because he wanted to get a long look at him. Harvey had seven carries for 25 yards and caught one pass for four yards in 12 snaps, with all his action in the first half. Dobbins, who also only played in the first half, didn’t have any carries but had one reception for four yards in seven snaps.

Badie, who has had a good training camp, led Denver’s running backs with five carries for 32 yards and had two catches for nine yards in 13 snaps. Watson had four attempts for 28 yards and caught three passes for 21 yards in 19 snaps. McLaughlin carried three times for five yards and had one reception for five yards in nine snaps.

“We’re trying to build cases for all (of the running backs), keep giving all these opportunities so the decision can become a little bit easier,’’ Payton said. “It’s difficult right now.”

The 5-foot-11, 237-pound Estime does provide a different dimension from the other backs due to being more of a power runner.

“The running style of Audric is a little more forward, a little heavier,’’ Payton said.

Estime acknowledged that.

“I pride myself to be able to do it all, but I am a big powerful guy, and I think if that’s the thing you want me to do, I can do that at a high level,” Estime said.

Estime did want to stress his versatility.

“I try to make sure there’s no limitations to my game to do whatever I need to do to be able to be out on third down, be able to run routes and to be able catch the ball,’’ he said. “I feel like I can do it at a high level.”

Estime certainly played at a high level at Notre Dame, where in 2023 he ran for 1,341 yards while averaging 6.4 per carry and caught 17 passes for 142 yards.

Estime last season caught just five passes for 27 yards, but he said he has worked on that part of his game and pointed to his 20-yard grab Saturday. Estime last season had some pass protection issues, and he believes that aspect of his game also has improved.

Despite being in his second season, Estime, who turns 22 on Sept. 6, remains Denver’s youngest player. He had his ups and downs as a rookie but wants to leave that behind.

“Last year was last year,’’ he said about his thought process during the offseason. “That’s in the past. I just saw a new opportunity (with) 2025 a new season. … I’m just focused on what’s in front of me.”

Being benched at Buffalo is something Estime doesn’t want to talk nor apparently even think about.