Denver Broncos Running Back Competition

Willis McGahee was the starting running back last season until he injured his MCL later in the season. He will be 32 this coming season. He is really old, but he has low mileage for a running back, that should help his cause. He ran for 741 yards on 4.4 YPC last season, but he had major fumbling issues losing 5 in only 10 games. That is more fumbles than any other season in his career. This is a cause for concern for the Broncos, was it only a one time thing or is it part of a bigger issue. There is no doubt McGahee can still run, but are his fumbling issues too much of a burden for the Broncos to handle.

Knowshon Moreno took over for McGahee when he was injured and he filled in admirably. After a disappointing first three years in the league, he played quite well after McGahee went down. He certainly has not reached the level of his draft position, but he looks like he could be a really good backup running back. He had a low YPC, 3.8, but his ability to pass block and catch the ball out of the backfield is unquestioned. Those are the skills that a backup needs. I think everyone knows he is not starting material, but that does not mean he wont have a place on the team.

Lance Ball is mostly a special teams player who should not have any part of touching the ball on the offensive end. He is not a good runner and he has terrible ball carrier vision. He will likely stay on the team due to his special teams play.

Ronnie Hillman was a 4th round draft pick last year. He is in no way a feature back, at best he is Darren Sproles. He is small and skinny, but he has good speed. I would like to see him in a play making role. He has the ability to do that. He needs to work on his pass blocking in order to become a bigger part of the offense in the future.

Montee Ball has the looks of the running back of the future. He has everything one would want, good speed, agility and great ball carrier vision. His only faults are that he is not big and that he has a lot of wear on his tires. he is not a burner, but a lot of other great backs were not burners either. He has been compared to Terrell Davis, but it would take a lot for him to reach that lofty comparison.

CJ Anderson was picked up as an undrafted free agent. He has the build of Maurice Jones-Drew, but he has nowhere near that level of talent. At best he could be a goal line back, but I think Montee Ball has that under control.

I think Montee Ball ends up being the starter by a landslide. No other back besides McGahee has the capability of being the starter and McGahee is old. I think Moreno, Hillman and Ball round out the rest of the group while McGahee and Anderson are sent home packing. Moreno should stay because of his blocking ability. Hillman will stay because he is very young and you cannot let a play maker like him go. Ball will stay because of special teams, unless someone like Anderson can take his spot there. It will be hard to see McGahee go because he has given the team two really good seasons, but he is simply too old especially since he is coming off of a knee injury.