Broncos' RB Hall making way up depth chart

[Sunil]

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080805/SPORTS/842140326/1063

Jeff Legwold

Rocky Mountain News

Vail, CO Colorado

DENVER, Colorado  Andre Hall knows the deal about running the ball for the Denver Broncos.

He knows it's an equal-opportunity affair, that first-round, last-round or even no-round picks have the same chance to earn the job and the same chance to lose it. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

"All you want anywhere in football is a fair shot," Hall said. "I went to Chicago, I didn't have one. I went to Tampa Bay, I didn't have one. Here it is different, here they look at you and decide by what they see. So everybody is on the edge here, everybody is on eggshells here, and that's the way I like it because at least you know you're in the mix."

And when the Broncos dropped their first depth chart into the public view Monday morning, Hall was the No. 2 running back behind Selvin Young. Rookie Ryan Torain is at No. 3 with rookie Anthony Alridge behind Torain.

But for Hall, it is a big leap forward from his experiences in last year's training camp with the Broncos, a time that followed his being signed and released by the Bears and Buccaneers in a four- month span in 2006.

He signed with the Broncos practice squad in November of that year and has been with the team ever since.

"Last camp there was Cecil Sapp at running back, Mike Bell, Travis (Henry) and me and Selvin weren't really getting any reps," Hall said. "Now a few of those guys are gone, it really gives me and Selvin a lot more opportunities.

"Last year, it was just mental reps for me, just hoping to get two or three plays in a whole day of practice."

This time around, Henry has been released, Bell has been released, Sapp has been moved back to fullback and Michael Pittman, who was hoping to compete for the starting running back job, is listed only at fullback and is getting only limited plays in practice at running back.

That has cleared the way for Young and Hall to try to hold off the rookies through the preseason.

"More work has helped, I see stuff before it happens, the game is just a lot slower now," Hall said. "There's not so much weight on my shoulders, I can relax now. But I always worry about getting cut, that's how I play. Either I'm going to be here or I'm not and I feel like if I'm messing up I'm not going to be here. Every down is serious to me."

_____________________________

Go get'em Andre!

[BULLfreak]

DENVER BRONCOS 2008 DEPTH CHART

(as of August 3, 2008)

Broncos Offense

WR    15 B. Marshall 19 E. Royal 17. G. Martinez 10 C. Russell

  16 M. McDaniel 9 T. Jacobs

LT 78 R. Clady 64 E. Pears 

LG 50 B. Hamilton 65 D. Gandy 67 K. Lichtensteiger

C  66 T. Nalen 62 C. Wiegmann 69 P.J. Alexander

RG  73 C. Kuper 70 M. Holland 61 M. Erickson

RT  74 R. Harris 76 T. Polumbus 

TE  89 D. Graham 88 T. Scheffler 81 N. Jackson 84 B. Pierce

    85 C. Mustard

WR 82 D. Jackson 14 B. Stokley 13 K. Colbert 12 S. Parker

    87 L. Sam

QB 6 J. Cutler 11 P. Ramsey 4 D. Hackney

RB  35 S. Young 23 A. Hall 42 R. Torain 38 A. Alridge

FB  37 C. Sapp 48 P. Hillis 28 M. Pittman

Broncos Specialists

P  2 S. Paulescu 1 B. Kern

K  5 M. Prater 2 S. Paulescu 1 B. Kern

KO  5 M. Prater 2 S. Paulescu 1 B. Kern

PR  19 E. Royal 17 G. Martinez 16. M. McDaniel 12 S. Parker

KR  19 E. Royal 23 A. Hall 38 A. Alridge 10 C. Russell

    17 G. Martinez

PC  83 M. Leach 88 T. Scheffler 98 J. Mallard

KC  83 M. Leach 98 J. Mallard 84 B. Pierce

H  1 B. Kern 2 S. Paulescu 11 P. Ramsey

Broncos Defense

LE  60 J. Engelberger 91 E. Ekuban 96 T. Crowder

LT  63 D. Robertson 99 A. McKinley 93 N. Clemons

RT  79 M. Thomas 90 K. Peterson 98 J. Mallard 68 S. Harris

RE  92 E. Dumervil 94 J. Moss 95 P. Carrington 77 L. Birdine

WLB  55 D.J. Williams 51 J. Winborn 59 W. Woodyard

MLB  58 N. Webster 53 N. Koutouvides 54 S. Larsen 56 M. Padilla

SLB  97 B. Bailey 52 L. Green 57 J. Beck

LCB  24 C. Bailey 22 D. Foxworth 26 J. Williams

RCB  32 D. Bly 41 K. Paymah 25 C. Morton 31 L. Reid

SS  21 H. Abdullah 43 R. Rogers 36 J. Barrett

FS  20 M. McCree 33 M. Manuel 34 V. Vaughn

Injured players are bracketed

Rookie and First-Year players underlined

[The Sheriff]

Torain is down for the next six to eight weeks. It's Young and Hall... Come on Andre... beat his A$$!

[crambone]

GO ANDRE!!!

[MikeG]

the NFL is so strange in how it handles talent. If you don't have the exact set of qualities that the coach expects his player to fit, you get pushed to the side until you are lucky enough to show them in an actual game.

Even with his performance on MNF last season, he still is getting a modicum of respect. If they committed to running Andre an entire game, I have no doubt he passes the 100 yard barrier and then some on most occasions.

[USFbulls0208]

Just picked up Andre with the last pick in my fantasy draft..

GO ANDRE!

[Bull Dozer]

Andre is in the best place you can be as a RB.  Denver isn't afraid to give the ball to anyone as long as you produce and i have no doubt Dre will take full advantage of his opportunities.

[bullgator85]

I am all for supporting a former bull but realistically he won't ever be a featured back in an offense. He may start due to necessity, but his career will be as a change of pace back. He is the best place to be one and its great too see bulls playing on sundays.

[MikeG]

I am all for supporting a former bull but realistically he won't ever be a featured back in an offense. He may start due to necessity, but his career will be as a change of pace back. He is the best place to be one and its great too see bulls playing on sundays.

You could be right but if ever there was a team that gets fully behind a hot running back, it's the Broncos. Think about all the different 1000 yard rushers they have had during Shanihan's reign.

So Andre just needs to get a shot, deliver consistent performance, and away he goes. It may only last a few years and he might end up losing to the job to injury or even a newer, younger back eventually-- but I can see this panning out for him with a few breaks. Otherwise-- his roll will be like that of Ernest Graham. I sure hope he doesn't have to wait that long to get a crack at being a full time contributor

[Orlando Bull]

I am all for supporting a former bull but realistically he won't ever be a featured back in an offense. He may start due to necessity, but his career will be as a change of pace back. He is the best place to be one and its great too see bulls playing on sundays.

I don't know if that is true, probably is, but even last pre-season before Dre got hurt, he was moving up quick and getting a lot of hype. I think Shanahan loves him and if he has a solid pre-season, I could see him going into the season as the starter. When you really think about the fact that they released Travis Henry, sure, maybe they are thinking that Young is their guy, but they must not feel too bad about Hall either because your number 2 is extremely important as well...as mentioned...especially in that offense.