It appears the Broncos are having doubts as to whether Travis Henry can again become an elite running back.
On the day Broncos coach Mike Shanahan announced Henry would miss a second week of offseason practices with a hamstring injury, the team reached an agreement Tuesday with veteran running back Michael Pittman on a one-year contract. His agreement is pending the completion of a physical.
Pittman, 32, has primarily been a strong No. 2 tailback in his 10-year NFL career with Arizona and Tampa Bay, so he wouldn’t be pushing for Henry’s starting job with the Broncos.
However, Pittman would have a chance of sticking as a complement to slashing back Selvin Young and rookie Ryan Torain. That could mean Henry suddenly has serious competition for a roster spot.
The Broncos signed Henry to a five-year, $22.5 million contract last year that included a $6 million signing bonus. But after leading the NFL in rushing through four games last year, Henry suffered through a series of injuries and off-field distractions.
He accepted a massive paycut this year to $1 million, although he could earn another $2 million-plus in incentives. Henry is already off to a slow start in 2008, however, as he will miss the entire passing camp with a hamstring injury. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said he expected Henry to return next Monday for the start of team camp.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
