Broncos' Arrington looks forward to full recovery

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_15264900

His knee was sutured, his career on hold, shrouded in doubt. But the pain, the real pain, came from the silence.

"In this game, when you're hurt, when you have something, you realize who your friends are," said Broncos running back J.J. Arrington, who played four years with the Arizona Cardinals. "That was one of the things that hurt the most. You realize how important you are to some people. That's what hurt the most.

"(Only) a couple guys out of 60 that you played with four or five years call you, you're kind of shocked by it, but life is learning and it's all about the learning."

Today will mark one year since Arrington had extensive surgery on his right knee to repair what he called severe cartilage damage. He previously had surgery on the knee after the 2008 season, causing him to arrive for a free-agent visit with Denver in March 2009 on a pair of crutches.

The Broncos released him last May and re-signed him this year in March. He continues to pursue "the feeling that I'm 100 percent."

"I'm getting closer all the time," said Arrington, 27. "I'm about 80, 85 percent. I get better every week. Last week I could only run a straight line, this week I can make turns. By training camp, I'll be ready to go."

If things go well, Arrington will be a third-down back for the Broncos and a candidate to be a kickoff returner. The former California star is back with the Broncos because of the interest coach Josh McDaniels showed before and after the most recent knee surgery.

"I checked in on him after his procedure," McDaniels said. "Personal side, I guess, because I knew what he was going through. Showing him we were supportive of him."

Said Arrington: "He called every few weeks, just to see how I was doing, how I was coming along."

McDaniels said the Broncos wanted to keep the line of communication with Arrington open during his recovery.

After the surgery, Arrington spent six days a week for two months at Dr. James Andrews' clinic in Birmingham, Ala. He returned to the Phoenix area to continue his rehab work and watched every Broncos game last season on television with his satellite package.

"When they started 6-0, I was right there," Arrington said. "I saw them all. I didn't hide from football. It's what I've been doing since I was 6. I knew I would do everything I could to get back and I'm almost there."

"We did get to spend some time with him last year and get to know him really well," McDaniels said. "He had an opportunity to make an impression on us. Then ultimately (the knee) just never healed the right way. I don't think you can ever make promises when that situation comes up. But I think everybody left on good terms, which is the most important thing."

Arrington joined the Broncos' full-team workouts last week on a part-time basis.

The Broncos open training camp July 24, when the team's rookies are scheduled to report. The veterans will report five days later and Arrington said he plans to be 100 percent, or at least feeling as well as he did when he last played in an NFL game in December 2008.

In his four seasons with the Cardinals, the 5-foot-9, 212-pound Arrington made eight starts and rushed for 654 yards in 58 games, averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

"I wanted to come here all along," Arrington said of Denver. "It means a lot to me.

"But just to be out here with my teammates, smelling the grass, putting my cleats on, I'm thankful things are coming together."

[broncofaninfla]

Our running back situation is making me nervous. Two gimpy vets and a unproven college star.

[Grover]

J.J. Arrington's career stats are making me nervous. Five touchdowns over a four year career. He appears just to be a depth guy with a chance to return kicks. But thinking he'll be any sort of Superman for this team just isn't reasonable given his stats so far.

[underrated29]

If he plays like he did in the superbowl and can come in and refresh bucky and knowshon every now and then i will be just fine with that.

[broncofaninfla]

If he plays like he did in the superbowl and can come in and refresh bucky and knowshon every now and then i will be just fine with that.

Hopefully he has as much playing time as Hillis did last season.....

[underrated29]

I would like to see more than that....Bucky can not hold up that long. We need JJ in there to spell him more, so buck does not go down.

[dogfish]

whooo!

3.3 YPC and 23.0 yards per kick return, here we come. . . .

[Tempus Fugit]

whooo!

3.3 YPC and 23.0 yards per kick return, here we come. . . .

If he makes the team and can get healthy enough to mostly return to form, Arrington's role will be pass receiving, blitz pickup and running draws on passing downs. His YPC should go up as a result.

Also, his numbers during his final year in Arizona were 6.0 ypc and 25.6 per kick return.

[dogfish]

If he makes the team and can get healthy enough to mostly return to form, Arrington's role will be pass receiving, blitz pickup and running draws on passing downs. His YPC should go up as a result.

Also, his numbers during his final year in Arizona were 6.0 ypc and 25.6 per kick return.

that was when he had healthy knees and wasn't coming off a very protracted layoff. . . i am far from optimistic about him. . . If he's healthy and can be effective at what he does then i suppose he can justify a roster spot, but having a nominal third back that is more or less useless running between the tackles is not close to an ideal situation IMO. . .

i wanted us to draft a RB somewhere on the third day of the draft, even in what i considered a relatively weak class. . . since we didn't, i keep hoping that we'll go ahead and sign westbrook, or go after a back like ladell betts. . .

[underrated29]

that was when he had healthy knees and wasn't coming off a very protracted layoff. . . i am far from optimistic about him. . . If he's healthy and can be effective at what he does then i suppose he can justify a roster spot, but having a nominal third back that is more or less useless running between the tackles is not close to an ideal situation IMO. . .

i wanted us to draft a RB somewhere on the third day of the draft, even in what i considered a relatively weak class. . . since we didn't, i keep hoping that we'll go ahead and sign westbrook, or go after a back like ladell betts. . .




i LIKE LADELL BETTS. hE WOULD BE A GOOD PICKUP FOR US i THINK.

[Bosco]

Our running back situation is making me nervous. Two gimpy vets and a unproven college star.

How could you be nervous about it? Buckhalter finally stayed relatively healthy for a year, Moreno led all rookies in rushing and is only going to get better and Arrington has a chance to develop into our long term jack of all trade back, a la Kevin Faulk.

I doubt there are more than a handful of teams out there who have a better running back situation than us.


i wanted us to draft a RB somewhere on the third day of the draft, even in what i considered a relatively weak class. . . since we didn't, i keep hoping that we'll go ahead and sign westbrook, or go after a back like ladell betts. . .

We won't carry 4 running backs on the roster, so where would they play? Neither one will beat out Moreno or Buckhalter, both are significantly older than Arrington and lack the ability to be kick returners, plus Westbrook's career is almost certainly over due to his concussion problems.

[dogfish]

How could you be nervous about it? Buckhalter finally stayed relatively healthy for a year, Moreno led all rookies in rushing and is only going to get better and Arrington has a chance to develop into our long term jack of all trade back, a la Kevin Faulk.

I doubt there are more than a handful of teams out there who have a better running back situation than us.



We won't carry 4 running backs on the roster, so where would they play? Neither one will beat out Moreno or Buckhalter, both are significantly older than Arrington and lack the ability to be kick returners, plus Westbrook's career is almost certainly over due to his concussion problems.

let somebody else return kicks-- we certainly have enough receivers and defensive backs on the roster. . .

buck's one of the most fragile players in the league-- making it through last year guarantees nothing. . . even if he's healthy, the guy is a 100-carry back. . . if moreno gets hurt, our RB situation is going to be beyond putrid. . . IMO we're probably going to regret it if we start the season with only two backs on the roster who can run between the tackles. . .

over the past few years we've had some extra insurance by having a fullback that could double as a competent baallcarrier (pittman, hillis). . . larsen doesn't give us that. . .

[Bosco]

let somebody else return kicks-- we certainly have enough receivers and defensive backs on the roster. . . None of which have really proven themselves at the pro level.


buck's one of the most fragile players in the league-- making it through last year guarantees nothing. . . even if he's healthy, the guy is a 100-carry back. . . if moreno gets hurt, our RB situation is going to be beyond putrid. . . IMO we're probably going to regret it if we start the season with only two backs on the roster who can run between the tackles. . . Betts or Westbrook won't change that though.

[dogfish]

None of which have really proven themselves at the pro level.

Betts or Westbrook won't change that though.

well, arrington hasn't proven to be all that great at it himself-- he was competent before the surgery and the extended layoff, but far from a world-beater. . .

i don't think he's as good as eddie royal. . . in an ideal world i'd love to see decker and thomas prove capable of holding down the outside spots by next year to reduce royal's workload on offense, but it's certainly not likely this year. . .

in any case, i have trouble believing that one of our young guys can't average 22-23 yards on kickoff returns, which is probably what arrington will give us. . .

and for that matter, i'd rather sacrifice a yard per kick return for another competent runner. . . i have no idea why you say "westbrook or betts wouldn't change that". . . are you saying neither of them is a better between-the-tackles runner than arrington?

that's certainly not correct. . .

[Bosco]

well, arrington hasn't proven to be all that great at it himself-- he was competent before the surgery and the extended layoff, but far from a world-beater. . . Well of course. You're not going to get a world beater as your 3rd running back.


i have no idea why you say "westbrook or betts wouldn't change that". . . are you saying neither of them is a better between-the-tackles runner than arrington?

that's certainly not correct. . . The 3rd back doesn't need to be a between the tackles runner. He needs to be a well rounded back who can catch and provide decent blocking out of single back sets. Arrington is almost perfect for that role. Westbrook and Betts could probably do it, but their injury histories are pretty extensive and both only have a couple years at best left in the league.

[dogfish]

Well of course. You're not going to get a world beater as your 3rd running back.

i meant that arrington isn't a world-beater as a return specialist. . . which is why i don't like reserving a roster spot for him, as i'm just not convinced that he offers enough else to be worth keeping. . .



The 3rd back doesn't need to be a between the tackles runner. He needs to be a well rounded back who can catch and provide decent blocking out of single back sets. Arrington is almost perfect for that role. Westbrook and Betts could probably do it, but their injury histories are pretty extensive and both only have a couple years at best left in the league.

in our situation, i don't agree. . . buckhalter has never contributed more than 130 carries in a season-- if moreno gets hurt, we should have someone else on the roster who can carry the ball effectively, because buck is the antithesis of a workhorse. . . besides which, the guy has a scary injury history, and he's not young-- if/when he gets hurt, we're going to be back to looking at street free agents to help carry the rock. . .

obviously JMO, but i think going into the season without a third effective ballcarrier is a foolish risk. . . i might consider it justifiable if i thought arrington was going to be a dynamic returner, but i don't. . .

oh well. . .

i suspect arrington's career was over two years ago if JMFMCD hadn't dug him up, but naturally i hope it works out. . .

[Bosco]

i meant that arrington isn't a world-beater as a return specialist. . . which is why i don't like reserving a roster spot for him, as i'm just not convinced that he offers enough else to be worth keeping. . . He's decent, and has touchdown returns in 2 of his 3 seasons.


in our situation, i don't agree. . . buckhalter has never contributed more than 130 carries in a season-- if moreno gets hurt, we should have someone else on the roster who can carry the ball effectively, because buck is the antithesis of a workhorse. . . besides which, the guy has a scary injury history, and he's not young-- if/when he gets hurt, we're going to be back to looking at street free agents to help carry the rock. . . Valid point, but I think Arrington is serviceable enough between the tackles to work as that 3rd back.


i suspect arrington's career was over two years ago if JMFMCD hadn't dug him up, but naturally i hope it works out. . . No way. He wouldn't have had much trouble finding a job.

[T.K.O.]

don't sweat it, if moreno goes down tebow averages abot 10 ypc:elefant:

[TXBRONC]

The 3rd back doesn't need to be a between the tackles runner. He needs to be a well rounded back who can catch and provide decent blocking out of single back sets. Arrington is almost perfect for that role. Westbrook and Betts could probably do it, but their injury histories are pretty extensive and both only have a couple years at best left in the league.

This is suppose to be a power running team. As some are inclined recite to us we are following the New England model. They carry power runners not outside running threats. Arrington has never been a very good so I don't see where he really adds anything to the team.

[Bosco]

This is suppose to be a power running team. As some are inclined recite to us we are following the New England model. They carry power runners not outside running threats. Arrington has never been a very good so see where he really adds anything to the team.

Arrington is very comparable to Kevin Faulk, who has been a staple of the New England offense for over a decade now.