The Denver Broncos made some headway in clearing up their running backs situation by releasing three a couple weeks before the free agency period begins.
Alex Haynes, Anthony Alridge and P.J. Pope were let go by the Broncos. Haynes was signed very late in the year strictly because injuries ravaged Denver at tailback, but Alridge and Pope had shown some signs of being able to contribute in the NFL.
Alridge, a fast but small, undrafted rookie, had 110 yards in Denver's preseason finale at Arizona. He tore a ligament in his foot and was placed on injured reserve. He could have been a change-of-pace back prospect, but the Broncos decided not to bring him back.
Pope looked good when he started in Denver's second-to-last game, getting 42 yards on five carries in the Broncos' first drive against Buffalo. But he suffered a season-ending hamstring injury on his next carry and is now out of Denver's plans as well.
Alridge and Pope had impressed under the old Broncos coaching regime, which didn't help them going forward. The Broncos fired Mike Shanahan and hired Josh McDaniels this offseason.
Running backs coach Bobby Turner is one of the few holdovers on the staff, but the Broncos' tailback situation is still very unpredictable. They had seven tailbacks suffer season-ending injuries, and none are the clear-cut favorite to be a workhorse in 2009.
Ryan Torain and Peyton Hillis, two rookies from last year, appear to have a shot at getting significant playing time if healthy. Torain will be returning from a torn ACL and Hillis suffered a season-ending hamstring injury late in the year.
Michael Pittman is a free agent that wants to return, and Selvin Young is another back coming off a season-ending injury. Denver could also choose to invest a high draft pick at tailback, something that was rarely done in Denver under Shanahan, or sign a free agent.
