Many hands make Broncos rushing attack

LaMont Jordan, who spent last year with New England, said if you want to know what the Denver Broncos' identity will be, just watch the Patriots. If that holds true for the running game, prepare to see many different tailbacks run the ball.

Last year, with new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels running the Patriots offense, only one back had more than 100 carries - Sammy Morris with 156. Kevin Faulk had 83, Jordan had 80, BenJarvus Green-Ellis had 74 and Laurence Maroney had 28. New England had 21 rushing touchdowns as a team and nobody had more than seven.

So if you play fantasy football and are trying to handicap the Broncos' tailback situation, it might be best to stop trying.

"We've got a lot of depth at the running back position," running back Peyton Hillis said. "Even if we're all switching out every play, or one guy starts and another guy gets hurt, we always know we have another guy back there to do the job."

Even if spreading the wealth among Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, Jordan, Hillis and anyone else that gets in the mix doesn't make for gaudy individual stats, the group approach can be effective.

New England's leading back, Morris, gained only 727 yards but the Patriots finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards last season. Everyone had a role in New England, whether it was Morris and Jordan alternating to pound the ball up the middle or Faulk getting to the outside or catching passes out of the backfield. After McDaniels was hired as head coach, the Broncos tried to replicate that mix of backs.

Buckhalter was signed first. He was a good all-around back in Philadelphia but never gained more than 586 yards in any of his eight seasons there. Arrington, like Faulk, emerged as a receiving threat out of the backfield last season with Arizona. Jordan, a bruiser at 230 pounds, was also added. Hillis is a versatile threat who impressed last year as a rookie when pressed into tailback duty, and fellow holdovers Ryan Torain and Selvin Young are still on the roster.

The various parts could combine to serve the Broncos' running game well, even if nobody stands out.

"I'm a true believer that if I'm at my best, then I'm one of the best backs in the league," Jordan said. "I'm sure ‘Buck' thinks the same thing, I'm sure S. Young, I'm sure J.J., I'm sure they all think the same thing, and that's what's going to make this running back competition that much better. We all think we can be dominant running backs in the NFL."