Thread: Les Shapiro says "I had football people tell me the day after Charles signed, 'don’t bet on him being on the opening day roster'"

Les Shapiro, CBS Broncos insider now with ESPN Radio thinks there's a "less than 50% chance" Jamaal Charles will even make it to the opening day roster - that is he thinks Charles will get hurt and cut during training camp or the pre-season. Here's the link.

He spoke to NFL personnel people and especially sources in KC that insist that Charles is done, that he's a 30 year old back and there's not a good history of bringing guys back at that point in their careers. He still likes the signing on a "what do you have to lose" basis?

He says: "do you think Kansas City would have let him go if he were healthy enough to play another season?"

Personally I think this is pure and absolute crappola! Les couldn't be more wrong!

First of all the Broncos aren't stupid enough to try and use Charles as the featured back and give him 20 runs a game between the tackles. The last time the Chefs tried that he lasted 3 games and there's no reason to think the Broncos would get more out of him in that situation.

They are going to use him as they used Ronnie Hillman - 3rd down specialist, change of pace back. They will give him maybe 5-10 carries a game tops, mostly on 3rd downs, and throw him the ball in the flat, and generally try and get him isolated in space on a LB.

That's the formula that worked so splendidly in 2013. That year the Broncos were the NFL's #1 Red Zone team because they had 5 weapons. In addition to Deckker and D.T. they had Wes Welker in the slot, plus Julius Thomas at TE who demanded double teams and could not be covered by a LB, and if somehow all those guys were covered, then they Knowshon Moreno catching 60 passes out of the backfield. Too many weapons, defenses couldn't cover them all.

They need to get back to that kind of Red Zone production and the key is having multiple threats. Not guys like Jacob Tamme or Virgil Green who could be covered easily with a LB, but real threats. Imagine this season or next if you could line up D.T. and Sanders with Henderson in the slot, Butt at TE and Charles coming out of the backfield? That could be a lethal combination. That's why the Broncos want Charles.

NOT to run the ball between the tackles 20 times a game, but limiting him to a 3rd down specialist, and a threat catching passes out of the backfield and in the flat.

Second of all the Chiefs cut Charles because he cost them about $12 M over the past couple of seasons and gave them no production due to injury. Sure, they could have cut him, and then re-signed him to an incentive laden contract, but they weren't willing to risk anything more on Charles. They got burned badly when he was hurt two years in a row. In 2015 he played 5 games and had 361 yards, and in 2016 he only lasted 3 games and got 41 yards. Of course they're not going to keep him after that!

It's the same thing as the Broncos with Ryan Clady. Why didn't the team sign Clady to a more "incentive laden" contract in 2016? Because they had been burned paying him $30 M for 3 seasons. He played a couple of games in 2013, all 16 in 2014, but he wasn't very good, and got injured in training camp in 2015. No way they were willing to take a chance on him after that! Same thing for the Chiefs and Charles.

But, the Jets were willing to risk signing Clady and he managed to start 8 games for them in 2016. He was probably worth it considering the price.

As for all the experts in KC who insist that Charles is washed up, they don't want to believe he could be healthy and be a threat for the Broncos! The last thing anybody associated with the Chiefs wants to see is him coming back to KC and scoring a TD for the Broncos! They have every incentive to insist he's washed up because that's what they desperately want to believe.

I'd be willing to bet he stays healthy and makes the opening day roster. Whether he lasts the season after that? Who knows? But, he certainly doesn't appear "washed up" at this point.

Les keeps going on about whether his knees are at "80%" or not. His knees are at 100% now. It's just a question of whether they will be up to lasting through an NFL season or not. But, if the Broncos don't abuse him by pounding him off tackle or use him as a substitute for CJ then I think he'll be fine.

YAY!!!! Another Jamaal Charles thread!

Did you buy a Charles jersey or something.

Originally Posted by Shazam!

Did you buy a Charles jersey or something.

His Okung jersey it outdated now.

Tldr

Was this from anonymous sources?

Originally Posted by Nomad

Was this from anonymous sources?

He didn't say. But, would sources in KC be totally objective about Jamaal Charles? It's not like they want him to succeed in Denver, because that would mean the Chiefs were stupid to let him go, yes? So, they'd like to think he's washed up. The Broncos however, have their own medical experts and they checked out Charles pretty thoroughly and cleared him before the Broncos signed him.

Which set of medical experts were right? We'll see. But, as I said in my initial post, there were more than one consideration in KC. Money was also a factor, as in the money they had already spent on Charles the last two years without getting anything in return. While Denver might be willing to risk a few millions on an incentive laden deal, KC, having already lost a booty-load of cash on Charles was not willing to risk it.

Charles was a risk, there is simply no denying that and the Broncos know that.

Originally Posted by Northman

Charles was a risk, there is simply no denying that and the Broncos know that.

And I was like, duh!

He is going to surprise people. He is probably going to play more than people guess imo. Love the signing!

Ive watched a ton of charles too as he has been my keeper for 5 years now. I think his knee will hold up and he will BEAST! Watch and see

I don't care if he is a beast personally. if he can get over 4 yards a pop and still is a quality receiving back, making him a viable weapon when he comes in, that's all I ask for. Just be a viable weapon, if you are a star that is icing, but just be someone the defense has to defend.

Originally Posted by underrated29

He is going to surprise people. He is probably going to play more than people guess imo. Love the signing!

Ive watched a ton of charles too as he has been my keeper for 5 years now. I think his knee will hold up and he will BEAST! Watch and see

Well, with UR saying this, he'll be cut next week.

Jamaal Charles is a nightmare for defensive coordinators. If he gets free in your secondary you might not see him until he does his TD dance in the end zone. He routinely makes guys miss. He's a border-line Hall of Fame RB.

In fact if he won a SB with Denver and played a significant role in that championship, he might actually get in the Hall. He might ultimately get in anyway but not right away.

If the Broncos utilize him properly and don't wear him down, he should be OK. Can he hold up for an entire season? We'll see but as long as he's in the game, defenses have to be aware of where he lines up on every play and make sure that if he catches the ball they have multiple defenders on him immediately.

That is going to help the Broncos offense significantly, even if he's used primarily as a 3rd down change of pace back and pass catching threat out of the backfield.

I believe in Charles - if he doesn't make the roster I am going to be so damn sad.

Originally Posted by Von Kinger

I believe in Charles - if he doesn't make the roster I am going to be so damn sad.

I would say its 50/50, so you might want to prepare yourself.