I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Alex Haynes to Denver.
What’s that? No, he isn’t one of the three players the Rockies acquired for Matt Holliday. He’s the Broncos’ newest fullback/tailback/warm body in the backfield.
Tatum Bell, a new-old member of the rushing corps, signed with the Broncos on Tuesday. Haynes was signed Monday after a tryout at Dove Valley. Both come in the fallout from Ryan Torain’s season-ending knee injury.
Since you’ve probably never heard of him, Haynes played 10 games with Carolina last season before being banished to the waiver wire.
Don’t look now, but he could impact the rest of the Broncos’ season.
It’s not like the Broncos have a lot of options at tailback. In a perfect world — or as close to perfect as things could get — Selvin Young’s groin injury would heal and he would carry the ball 20 times a game. But Young has had one carry in a span of four games and obviously wasn’t healthy during the Broncos’ win at Cleveland.
From all indications, that leaves Peyton Hillis or Bell as the team’s starting tailback-by-default. And with Michael Pittman, Andre Hall and Torain gone for the season, P.J. Pope is the backup du jour. Don’t recognize that name? He was promoted from the practice squad last week.
Those are the names the Broncos must go forward with in the backfield. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? As in, it makes you wonder how much Mike Shanahan’s game plans will be affected by the injury crisis at tailback.
It seems a given that the Broncos will have to throw more. If so, it would put even more pressure on Jay Cutler, who, last time I checked, had as much pressure on him as any player in the league.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s sports updates on The Jimmy Page morning and afternoon Monday-Friday. And read his columns on Sundays at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
