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View Full Version : Moreno to get some extended playing time Friday?



Italianmobstr7
08-13-2009, 04:37 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_13049616

With the injuries the Broncos have already had in the backfield this training camp, folks may get a nice, long look at rookie running back Knowshon Moreno in San Francisco on Friday night for the team's preseason opener.

"I'll do whatever they want me to," Moreno said.

With LaMont Jordan missing practice time this week with an unspecified leg injury and Ryan Torain being waived Wednesday after injuring his knee, Moreno is now likely in position to get significant time, just days after signing his first NFL contract.

Asked how much Moreno would play against the 49ers, coach Josh McDaniels said: "Plenty. We're telling everybody to be ready to go for a long time, and Knowshon's in that group. All our rookies, our young kids, need to play a lot."

McDaniels added: "This is their first opportunity to play in a National Football League game and find out what it's all about. He needs to play like all the rest do."

Correll Buckhalter took snaps with the starting offense Wednesday and will get some work, but Moreno is expected to enter the game fairly quickly.

The Broncos are so concerned with spreading the carries around Friday that they were trying to get running back Marcus Thomas (as opposed to veteran defensive lineman Marcus Thomas) up to speed in time for him to play. The younger Thomas, waived in July by the Cleveland Browns, signed with Denver on Wednesday morning.

That's it.

A year ago, Mike Shanahan called Torain a potential Broncos back of the future.

Torain's Broncos career ended Wednesday when the team set him free. His agent, Jack Scharf, said Torain was expected to miss three to four weeks with a strained lateral collateral ligament in his right knee, which swelled up on Monday.

Torain got an MRI, and will get a second opinion today. He will receive an injury settlement from the team. Last season, he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and had elbow surgery. He had foot surgery in his final season at Arizona State.

"Ryan has persevered over the last two years and is a character human being and talented football player," Scharf said. "It's just a matter of staying healthy.

"Ryan is confident that once he gets healthy, he will stay healthy and have a long NFL career."

Footnotes.

Safety Brian Dawkins (hand) and wide receiver Brandon Marshall (hip) were the only players held out of Wednesday's practice. . . . The Broncos spent plenty of time on short-yardage work, with some looks putting Peyton Hillis and Spencer Larsen in the formation at the same time along with two tight ends. . . . Rookie cornerback Alphonso Smith is expected to get some work in the return game Friday night. . . . Rookie Darcel McBath is expected to start in Dawkins' free safety spot.