Broncos runningback Jeremiah Johnson #37 rushes for a touchdown in Dallas. NFL pre-season 2011.

Off to a strong start after losing Willis McGahee to injury early Knowshon Moreno went down with what was originally thought to be a knee sprain.  After MRI results returned Monday the news got much worse for the struggling 3rd year runningback.  Moreno has a torn ACL in his right knee after an awkard landing yesterday in Kansas City.  The team has placed him on the IR and activated Jeremiah Johnson from the practice squad.  Some were eluding to interesting thoughts on who the Broncos would add to the roster to re-bolster tailback depth.  Such as kicking the tires on Correll Buckhalter for a 3rd season in the Mile High city.  Looks like Fox and company plan to go with youth in Johnson.  Hopefully “the next man up” can fill in and keep this team’s running game playing at a high level.

One has to wonder if Moreno’s days are done in Denver.  3 years in the league and a high first round pick Knowshon has only accumulated 1905 yards, never had a rush of 50+ yards, and can probably be summarized as a passing down back.  His rookie contract has to look like an anchor on the books for the front office and you can speculate if he will be released for a free agent back like Brandon Jacobs in the off-season.  

Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton calls a play at the line of scrimmage against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010, in Denver. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

All has been quiet on the free agent front for the Broncos. Many have expected a signing or two on the first day, and possibly even a Kyle Orton trade.

However, outside of the expected release of Correll Buckhalter, the signing undrated free agents like Mario Fannin, Deron Mayo, Jamel Hamler, Adam Weber, and several others, not much has happened in the Mile High city.

With only one returning non-free agent defensive tackle on the roster, many expected Denver to pursue that position heavily. Some of the player’s available at the position are Seattle’s Brandon Mebane, Green Bay’s Cullen Jenkins, and San Fransisco’s Aubrayo Franklin. However, clearing the cap space to sign any of these previously mentioned behemoths will be difficult.

When the lockout ended, the Broncos had $129 million against the cap. The new cap ceiling under the new CBA is $120 million. The release of Buckhalter frees up some cap space, but not much seeing how his $1.92 million contract contained no guaranteed money.

For the Broncos to sign some free agents they will need to get rid of some big contracts, and that is why they’re trying to deal Orton and fast. Orton’s is slated to receive $9 million this season from Denver, so his removal from the cap could go a long way.

With Donovan McNabb looking like he’ll be in Minnesota, Matt Hasselbeck in Tennessee, Tarvaris Jackson in Seattle, and Matt Leinart joining him as well, the landing spots for Orton have narrowed down to Arizona and Miami.

Whoever agrees to a trade with Orton also agrees in taking his contract. This stipulation might mean Arizona could be considered since they did not acquire Kevin Kolb as fast as everyone though they would. Orton’s price-tag may be high, but it is certainly not as expensive as bringing on Kolb as your franchise guy and signing him to a franchise deal.

Expect some moves to made soon as the front office crunches some numbers and make some phone calls.

What do you think Bronco Nation? How will the cap situation unfold? What team will Orton get traded to? Who will be sought in free agency?

Per Josina Anderson, the Broncos will cut Buckhalter, but the possiblity remains that he will return with a cheaper deal.

Running back Knowshon Moreno has been productive since arriving in Denver, gaining over 2,300 yards from scrimmage in two seasons. He has yet to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, however. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

During the Mike Shanahan era, the Denver Broncos enjoyed years of reliable rushing attacks.  From Terrell Davis to Tatum Bell — and the four backs in between — Denver had a slew of 1,000 yard rushers over the last decade, but it all came to a screeching halt in 2007.

What would be the beginning of the end for Shanahan, continued on (and was exploited) during the Josh McDaniels era.  Though an offensive guru (or so we thought), McDaniels was never able to establish a good running game in Denver.  Casting away several promising backs (Peyton Hillis and Ryan Torain among them) and bringing in older models (such as Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan), undoubtedly contributed to McDaniels’ rushing attacks ranking near the bottom of the League in back-to-back seasons.

In 2009, McDaniels tried to address the problem by drafting Georgia star running back Knowshon Moreno.  The 23-year old back still hasn’t lived up to his high draft day expectations, however.  Although he has shown flashes of greatness and still has loads of potential, Moreno has just been a band aid to a wound that has been penetrating deeper and deeper.

With the defense and running game in shambles, the Broncos have turned to former Carolina Panthers Head Coach John Fox to fix their mess, and he appears to be just the man for the job.  A task this momentous will call for some reinforcements.

Addressing the problem

Will John Fox reunite with DeAngelo Williams in Denver? Don't count on it. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Fox has made it quite clear that the team is looking for a back to pair up with third-year running back Knowshon Moreno.  Whether they find that back through the draft or free agency is yet to been seen; names of a few possible candidates have been thrown out there, however.  One that has been brought up several times (13.7 Trillion times to be exact) is Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams, who is set to become a free agent (one of the most sought after free agents it should be noted).  Contrary to all the reports however, Williams-to-Denver isn’t as practical as you might think.

• There is a possibility that the Panthers will in fact retain Williams – they certainly hope to.  DeAngelo recently told a Miami radio station that his decision to stay in Carolina hinges on who will play quarterback for the team next season.  If the Panthers draft Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, he would most likely be tempted to stay.

• And even if he does not stay in Carolina, the Broncos don’t appear to be on top of his ‘possible destinations’ list.  He has said that he would love to play for the Miami Dolphins, who would most likely be willing to pay him a contract that he and his agent could agree upon.

• Which is something Denver may not be willing to do.  Because of the uncertainty of the lockout, it would be more logical for Denver to draft a running back over planning on signing one to a big contract in free agency, especially a back who is coming off an injury that caused him to miss most of the previous season.

In fact, if Broncos Vice President of Football Operations John Elway isn’t just blowing smoke, and the Broncos are keeping their options open and legitimately considering every position and all the top prospects, the team may trade down in the first round on draft day and take Alabama’s Mark Ingram.  Albeit, Denver drafting Ingram is a bit improbable, selecting a running back in the first three rounds however, is a big possibility.

The Broncos have visited and/or worked out over half a dozen different running backs entering this year’s draft and have shown a lot of interest in them.  Baylor running back Jay Feely was at the team’s facility in Dove Valley earlier this week as well as Kansas State’s 230-pound running back, Daniel Thomas, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.  On Monday, Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure will visit the team.

Several free agent options include:  San Diego’s Mike Tolbert (who is a bruiser), Miami’s Ricky Williams (who is on the wrong side of 30), and Baltimore’s Le’Ron McClain (another bruiser who would be hard to pry away from his current home).  Many of the power running backs that will be available in free agency will be pursued by several other teams and come at a high price, making a younger, 2nd-3rd round draft choice a more appealing solution.

Denver may already have Knowshon’s future running mate on the roster

Running back LenDale White showed potential in 2010 before going down with an injury. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

Let’s assume the Broncos are being as open minded about the running back situation as they are the quarterback situation.  They don’t know, but they may already have their guy, as Elway has said concerning the quarterbacks.

Correll Buckhalter can pretty much be scratched off the list, at age 32, Buck’s days in Denver appear to be numbered.  There’s also Lance Ball, and while his effort is commendable, he’s not the kind of power back Fox is looking for.

That leaves LenDale White, who missed all of the regular season in 2010 after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in preseason.  White however, is recovering and ready to compete for playing time in 2011 (if there is a 2011 NFL season).  Coming in at 6’1 and 235 pounds, White is a prototype of what Fox is looking for to pair up with Moreno – a big, powerful back.  Expect White to at least get a good look in Training Camp (if there is a training camp).

I’m as big a fan of Williams as anyone, and would love for Denver to sign him.  It’s just not that practical.  Seeing as there may not even be a free agency period this year, drafting a back to pair up with Moreno allegedly is the most realistic option.  Big thanks to Kreager G. for suggesting we touch on the above mentioned subject.

Bronco running back Lance Ball strips the ball away from Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

As we continue to relive the high moments of the Broncos 2010 season, we look back at the road running back Lance Ball has traveled.

Entering the NFL in 2008 as an undrafted free agent, running back Lance Ball started his career with the St. Louis Rams.  After being released, he would go on spend time on the practice squads of the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans before signing with Denver.

When Denver running backs Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter went down with injuries during Training Camp, Lance Ball finally got his shot.  Because he knew he may not get many, Ball knew he had to take advantage of all his opportunities and impress Denver’s coaches.

And that’s just what he did. 

When fellow running back LenDale White suffered a torn Achilles tendon, Ball was left to compete with Toney Baker, Bruce Hall, and Justin Fargas for a roster spot.  After proving he was the best back in camp and the most productive one during the preseason, Lance landed on Denver’s 53-man roster.  His perseverance and effort were no doubt contributing factors to him being retained.

During the season, Ball dressed for over half of the team’s games and showed the same passion and desire he had throughout all of Training Camp and the pre season.  There was no greater example of Ball’s non-stop effort than when in week fourteen against the Arizona Cardinals he tracked down Daryl Washington — who had about a seven yard head start — after an interception and forced a fumble before he was able to score.

Ball's heads up play could have gotten the ball back for the Broncos. (Image courtesy of CBS Sports)

Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett recovered the fumble in the endzone for a touchdown, but Ball’s effort did not go unnoticed.  With less than three minutes left in a game and your team down by three touchdowns, many players wouldn’t have even make an attempt to do what Lance did.  Not only did he catch Washington, but he also had the sense of mind to go for the unprotected football.

Lance Ball may not be one of the great backs in the game, and the Broncos probably won’t sell many of his jerseys.  However, his contribution to Denver’s offense last season and no-quit attitude — after not even being supposed to make the roster — undoubtedly impressed running backs coach Eric Studesville and myself (not to put myself in the same category as a Broncos coach, just letting it be known that I am a fan of Lance).

Ball finished the season with 41 carries for 158 yards while adding 3 receptions for 16 yards and two tackles.  Here’s hoping he is retained by the new coaching staff and continues to contribute to the Broncos offense with his selfless style of play.

Lance Ball grabs a drink at the Denver Broncos Training Camp in Dove Valley on August 3rd, 2010. (Jon Heath/Broncos Zone)

Two aging running backs time in Denver may be nearing the end, making room for an emerging, younger back.

While Knowshon Moreno was out with a hamstring injury earlier in the year, veteran backs Laurence Maroney and Correll Buckhalter were the Broncos featured running backs.  During that four game stretch, the two backs both averaged less than 2.3 yards a carry, scored no touchdowns and were partly responsible for Denver’s worst rushing efforts in a long, long time.

Since Knowshon’s return, Maroney’s and Buckhalter’s roles in the offense have steadily declined each game.  Over the past four games, neither of them have gotten a carry, and Maroney was inactive last week.  The Broncos have used Buck as a receiving threat (catching six passes for 32 yards in the past three games), but there’s no signs he’ll be a rushing threat any time soon.

Meanwhile, the Broncos rushing attack has gotten better and better. Second year back Knowshon Moreno is becoming a big part of the offense; Spencer Larsen and Tim Tebow have contributed on short-yardage downs and the coaches have gotten creative, giving end-arounds and reverses to receivers Eddie Royal and Demaryius Thomas.  The team also moved up Lance Ball from the practice squad, and his role in the offense is expected to expand.

Alex Mayster of ProFootballWeekly notes that the Broncos coaches like what they are seeing out of Ball:

RBs Laurence Maroney and Correll Buckhalter are slowly being phased out of the Broncos’ offense. We hear Denver’s coaches like what they have seen from RB Lance Ball, who was recently promoted from the practice squad when the Colts were close to signing him away. Ball provides fresh legs to an offense that has struggled with the ground game and is a little bit quicker than Buckhalter, who seems to have lost some speed since last season, according to a daily team observer.

When Knowshon was hurt during Training Camp, I thought Ball was without a doubt the best running back in camp.  He showed some great flashes in Pre Season and brings more to the table than just running ability, as he is a good receiving back as well. Personally, I think it’s about time the Broncos gave up on Maroney and Bucky and gave this kid a shot.

Champ Bailey and Jason Hunter celebrate after they recovered a muffed Tennessee Titans kickoff. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

So we had ourselves a football game last week; an old school brawl, the Tennessee Titans gave it their all and then some. Yet they still couldn’t come away with the victory.

What people failed to notice is that I came within one point of predicting each teams score the Denver Broncos can probably beat anyone in the NFL… if they can just get their running game together. Name a player on Denver’s defense without the last name: Williams, Bailey or Ayers… Don’t look– yeah you probably got one, but name five… And although it’s not boast able in any shape or form the Broncos defense sits in the middle of the NFL in all major categories, despite facing two of the top three running backs in the league and Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts after four weeks.

2-2 is probably what most smart analytics would have the Broncos at if they were guessing these games beforehand, but Denver holding Chris Johnson to less yards than the Pittsburgh Steelers is something only I am crazy enough to predict. Though, I didn’t, I figured the secondary is where the Titans would aim their sites. This is where the Baltimore Ravens will make their mistake, sure, they’ll try Ray Rice, but with his will-he/won’t-he injury persistent, even fantasy footballers aren’t sure whether to start him or not (and he’s a first round pick). Willis McGahee did well against the Steelers last week, but the Broncos are not the Steelers and Baltimore is jam-packed with receiving talent.

Here’s where Denver has them, if Andre Goodman is back, Perrish Cox fits perfectly into that nickle spot and this is where Denver’s defense has been hit hard. Nate Jones is not the answer, but Cox is and with Jones covering a fourth receiver (likely T.J. Houshmandzadeh) in dime situations the Broncos aren’t all that bad off. I would love to see what that incredible special teamer Cassius Vaughn can do in a more predominant role in the secondary though… The kid plays with a chip on his shoulder and his talent is screaming to be let loose.

Baltimore’s coming in high off their win over Pittsburgh and they’re going to get their throats cut, because Josh McDaniels and Wink Martindale are focused. The loss to Indianapolis was all Denver needed to light the spark that exposed every weakness on the Broncos defense. Denver will not face a better offense all year than they did in Indianapolis. I maintain, as should you, that the game against the Colts was winnable… Now that’s scary.

So here are the X factors the Ravens defense is number one against the pass, the Broncos offense is number one passing. The Ravens defense is number twenty-one against the run, the Broncos are dead last in rushing.

Denver fans grab for their hair every time Laurence Maroney takes a hand off; in fact I want to take the opportunity and speak directly to McDaniels– how bad could Andre Brown and Lance Ball possibly be? Get Maroney off the team, now. You had no problem getting rid of Peyton Hillis, what in the hell are you doing letting Maroney continue to replace Knowshon Moreno? Correll Buckhalter was a big reason Denver started off 6-0 last season, please don’t be so forgetful.

That being said, McDaniels play calling can speak for itself, as evidence by Kyle Orton and the Broncos receiver’s numbers this season. Maybe instead of throwing the ball only 50 times this Sunday Denver throws for 60. Who needs a rushing game when the team can just throw for seven yards at a time instead?

Broncos win 34-20.

By the way, we’ve started a Denver Broncos Facebook Group, if you want to be plugged into the absolute best coverage on Facebook, check it out here.

The helmets of the Denver Broncos were adorned with the #11 of recently deceased teammate Kenny McKinley as they faced the Indianapolis Colts last week. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

So, about last week…

A lot of you were right, some of you were with me (which is a nice way of saying we were wrong).

How could the Denver Broncos possibly have lost to the Indianapolis Colts? It was a loss, even on paper. I did include a bit of conspiracy in my post; how focused the Colts were last season on beating the Broncos before cashing in on the rest of their regular season. Side note: curiously the Colts let go of former Broncos quarterback Tom Brandstater on Monday. Wonder what they were using him for?

Denver had many opportunities to win this game, there were questionable calls, an inability to cash in on red zone opportunities, blah, blah, blah. I didn’t see what a lot of people saw; yes a loss is always upsetting, but the Broncos held their own against Peyton Manning’s Colts without a lot of who makes the Broncos the Broncos. No Elvis Dumervil, Ryan Harris, Knowshon Moreno, Andre Goodman and Spencer Larsen (who went down early). That and a dollar will get you a scratch game in some states though.

In the Tennessee Titans the Broncos face a team that can beat them in many ways. Denver’s strength has been their passing game (where they rank 1st in the NFL), Tennessee ranks 5th in pass defense, so something’s bound to happen when an unstoppable passing attack meets and immovable pass defense. Well, I am going to tell you the outcome, the Titans will get beasted.

Here’s why, Denver doesn’t have a rushing attack, they are desperate for either Correll Buckhalter or Laurence Maroney to step up in another absentee performance via Knowshon Moreno. I don’t have faith in Maroney, he’s been bad on not one, but two teams thus far in the same year. Buckhalter was one of the main reasons Denver went 6-0 out the gate last season though and I still hold a special place in my crystallized diamond Broncos heart for him.

My idea is actually to put Tim Tebow in at h-back and fake a run to him at least three times, early and often.Yet I publish this column on Sunday mornings and Josh McDaniels has already game planned at that point.

Onto the defense… The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to hold Chris Johnson to 62 yards on just over 20 carries, so the Broncos should be able to hold him to at least 160 on ten carries. That won’t matter though, because if the Broncos are able to improve red zone proficiency this game should be a blow out. Translation: the Titans will be passing and with their 30th ranked pass offense, meeting the 23rd ranked pass defense (really? Wow… oh yeah, Broncos played the Colts last week and Andre Goodman is back) chances are slim that the Titans will be able to withstand the barrage of passes Kyle Orton will be beaming on them like hellfire.

Broncos win 27-21

PS- Ryan Harris is back.

The Denver Broncos have activated RB Andre Brown from the practice squad, the National Football Post‘s Aaron Wilson reports, citing a league source. No word on whom Brown will replace on the active roster.

The Broncos’ running back carousel keeps turning, as Brown was just released from the active roster and placed on the practice squad last week in light of the Broncos’ trade for Laurence Maroney.

Two conclusions one might draw from this: the Broncos aren’t happy with Correll Buckhalter‘s 2.0-yards per carry average in relief work, and/or Maroney’s ailing thigh isn’t quite game-ready.