Willis McGahee on his first day of Broncos minicamp in 2013. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
Much was made of how incumbent starting running back Willis McGahee received few reps Tuesday during the first day of minicamp while Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball again got their share.
I wasn’t there Tuesday but I can add the perspective that coach John Fox has historically eased players back from injury or inactivity. McGahee is both returning from a right knee injury and 10 missed offseason training activity (OTA) sessions.
That doesn’t mean McGahee won’t remain the No. 3 running back as the Broncos enter training camp. It doesn’t mean much on June 11.
McGahee in his own words, is “on the bubble” to make the Broncos’ roster this season because of his Unholy Trinity of age (31), injury (knee) and salary ($2.5 million). But where he fits among the Broncos’ running back stable is he’s by far the most proven and accomplished runner, and he’s also the largest at 235 pounds.
Whether or not McGahee makes the roster probably depends more on how Hillman and Ball impress the coaches and front-office boss John Elway than anything McGahee does in practice. And there is no way Hillman and Ball can be seriously evaluated until after the second or third preseason game.