Broncos: Knowshon Moreno gets chance to shed 'bust' label

With Willis McGahee out for a few weeks because of a torn MCL, Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno will get another shot to show that he was worthy of his first-round status in 2009.

By Andrew Mason

Nov 19, 2012 at 6:42 pm ET • 1 min read

Knowshon Moreno might finally get another chance to high-step. (Andrew Mason)

The "next man up" for the Broncos in the wake of RB Willis McGahee's torn medial collateral ligament might be the one who's been languishing on the inactive list for the past eight games.

No Broncos running back beyond McGahee has more experience than Knowshon Moreno, but none has endured a more tumultuous path since joining the team. In four seasons, Moreno has gone from first-round pick to struggling young runner to potential bust -- with a brief 2011 revival and then an offseason of injury rehabilitation from a torn anterior cruciate ligament thrown in.

But the last eight games of inactivity had one bonus for Moreno: a chance to complete his recovery from the ACL injury he suffered last November at Arrowhead Stadium, which he and the Broncos will visit again Sunday.

"I guess the only good thing I can look at from when I wasn't playing is not getting banged up, getting the knee back to healing and getting back. So now I feel real good," Moreno said.

But his role might not be extensive. Instead, the Broncos might opt for a running-back-by-committee approach that could see the Broncos ride the hot hand between Moreno, rookie Ronnie Hillman and utility back Lance Ball.

"Might be Knowshon, might be Lance, might be Jeremiah (Johnson, on the practice squad)," said Hillman. "We'll just see how it goes."

Even Johnson has regular-season experience for the Broncos; he played eight games last year and averaged 5.5 yards per rush (on 14 attempts) and 8.9 yards per reception on seven catches.

No matter who the Broncos end up utilizing, all will try to incorporate some aspect of McGahee's game into their own.

"I think we learn from Willis, through (organized team activities) and minicamp and training camp, his style of running," said Ball. "I try to feed off of him. He's a patient runner, he's physical, obviously, just loves the zone-type running, just goes downhill, that's what you've got to do."

That's what the Broncos need most -- whoever their primary runner ends up being.

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