Running Back Carousel Takes Another Spin

Selvin Young is now listed #2 on the Broncos depth chart. Photo Courtesy (AP PHOTO/DAVID ZALUBOWSKI)

The Denver Broncos are famous for finding 1,000 yard rushers out of what seems to be thin air. Having not spent a single first round draft pick on a running back in the Shanahan era, the ground game of the Denver Broncos has nevertheless been the most feared in the league over the past 10 years. The offseason acquisition of Travis Henry through free agency marked a sharp contrast in principle to how the Broncos had traditionally addressed the running back position – they didn’t spend big dollars on the position, and later picks in the draft were more than enough to suffice for a year or two as another cog in the Denver Broncos Running Machine.

But even in a flux in policy like that, some things never change.

The expected depth chart for the Broncos running back position is drastically different than it was at the beginning of training camp. The coveted #2 tailback spot has seen three different owners, and the third one seemed least likely to keep after the first few practices less than a month ago. Just as an undrafted rookie from Arizona surprised many en route to a roster spot last year, another has followed in his footsteps this year. Selvin Young out of Texas looks to be the projected #2 tailback in our season opener in Buffalo a week from Sunday.

The other big news regarding our running backs is that Mike Bell may be on the trade block, or may even be released.

Looking at the depth chart from August 10 to now, there were a lot of changes made for our ground guys.

*Unconfirmed

This begs the question – is this the end for Mike Bell in Denver? He is on the trade block – seeing as he was undrafted and how teams know the success of the Denver system, it may be hard to get more than a 5th or even 6th round pick for the guy. I think the coaches like the upside of guys like Selvin Young and Andre Hall more than they do Bell’s – all signs indicate Bell may be on his way out. If the team does make a move for free agent defensive end Simeon Rice, they would have to cut someone (or put someone like Karl Paymah on IR) in order to make the roster space. Bell could be the first to go.

For more on Selvin Young, refer to the Undrafted Rookie Report I wrote in May. (The caption under the upper picture is especially interesting now).