Markus P Dub
Footballguy
fyi
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Mike Bell released DEN RB/FB (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Markus P Dub
- Start date
tombonneau
Footballguy
interesting ... where was he in the current pecking order of denver RBs?
xenith
Footballguy
Well in Denver that is always the question isn't it? W/ Mike Bell, the answer was probably already way low on the pecking order. As a Chiefs fan, however, would love to see him get picked up as FB/RB insurance, and any inside division rival info would be appreciated!
tombonneau
Footballguy
Had to assume he was down at the bottom ... was he injured? Or was this just performance based?
Markus P Dub
Footballguy
This is very weird. But my co-workers were up at Winter Park for the weekend and ran into Mike Bell at the bar. He was drinking it up and having a good time etc. Said he was very nice, all of that. They got his autograph and were all pleased with themselves and I said well he will more than likely get cut so don’t get too attached. I said that this morning and he was released. Crazy. So they’re all upset.
Rumors on the radio that he could wind up in HOU. But whenever a Bronco gets released the same HOU thing comes up because of Kub.
Rumors on the radio that he could wind up in HOU. But whenever a Bronco gets released the same HOU thing comes up because of Kub.
T Bell
Footballguy
Last.
Buffaloes
Footballguy
Last string Fullback...quite a fall considering where he WAS. He was given one chance last year and fumbled on one of his first carries. I don't think he carried again after that. I think him being released now just says that ther was NO trade interest in him whatsoever. The writing was on the wall, I just expected him to be released during first or second cuts in training camp if Shanny couldn't find a trade partner. I hope he lands somewhere. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and works hard...I just don't know if he has the speed for the game.
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tombonneau
Footballguy
He seems much better suited to FB than RB. Though I seem to recall he put up a stink a year or so ago about switching to FB ... am I remembering that right or am I just crazy?
massraider
Footballguy
Fire up the Andre Hall bandwagon!!
Last.
I was thinking about posting the same thing. It's funnier coming from you given your user name.Michael Fox Fan
Footballguy
At least Ryan Torain knows what to expect 2 years from now.
Englishteacher
Footballguy
There are a few teams in the league looking for FB's. Philly comes to mind.
SSOG
Moderator
Mike Bell got released because, while he's a good work-ethic guy and he understands what needs to be done within the system, he simply wasn't that talented. I haven't seen anything from Andre Hall to suggest to me that he's anything other than next on the chopping block- he just hasn't struck me as a very talented runner in the opportunities he's had. Selvin and Pittman are both more talented runners, from what I've seen. I haven't seen anything from Torain yet, but I have a hard time believing Hall is going to be anything but third on the depth chart, provided he makes the roster in the first place.I think Hall is good enough that, if given the starting job, he'd put up great numbers... but I don't think he's good enough to take the starting job on his own merit.
I don't understand this assumption. Bell managed a 4.2 YPC (680 yards) average and 8 TD's in his 160 carries as a Bronco. For those that were following closely last season, Bell was performing better than Travis Henry during the offseason/preseason. Personally, I think Shanahan was determined to make everyone think the signing of Travis Henry and all his baggage was a good move, and Bell was shoved under the carpet, hopefully to never be heard from again, at first opportunity. Shanahan was successful in making Bell disappear, but in the process he also made the Broncos running game in the redzone disappear. 9 rushing touchdowns by the Broncos running backs as a whole in 375 carries. I think Bell "should" be picked up immediately, and if Houston had any intelligence among their team management personnel, they would be bringing this guy in today. Nobody watching this guy play in 2006 said he wasn't talented. I don't think his talent or ability had anything to do with him being buried in Denver last year.
Michael Fox Fan
Footballguy
Plenty of people on this board said that he wasn't talented. Repeatedly. This isn't surprising.
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Banger
Footballguy
Henry's talent >>>> Mike Bell's regardless of stats. Stats never tell the whole picture. I'll trust Shannahan's decisions when it comes to finding productive RB talent. You mean Houston with Slaton, A. Green, Dayne, C. Brown? He'd be 5th on the depth chart at best.....
SSOG
Moderator
It's not an assumption. It's an observation drawn from in-game performances, supported by statistical data and personnel moves. I'll expound on that in a moment.
Denver as a team has averaged 4.6, 4.4, 4.7, 4.4, and 4.8 yards per carry over the last 5 seasons. Mike Bell's 4.2 yards per carry fall significantly short of that mark, meaning he was below-average, on a per-carry basis, for a Denver RB. In Mike Shanahan's tenure, he has had an RB accumulate 150+ rushes in a single season a whopping 16 times. Seven times, those RBs have averaged 4.4 yards per rush or fewer. Here's what happened to each of those RBs:2006 Tatum Bell- 4.40 yards per rush, traded after the season, hasn't been heard from since.
2006 Mike Bell- 4.31 yards per rush, switched to fullback after the season and cut a season later.
2005 Mike Anderson- 4.24 yards per rush, cut after the season, hasn't been heard from since.
1999 Olandis Gary- 4.20 yards per rush, relegated to backup after the season, hasn't been heard from since.
2001 Terrell Davis- 4.20 yards per rush, retired after the season, hasn't been heard from since.
2007 Travis Henry- 4.14 yards per rush, cut after the season.
2001 Mike Anderson- 3.87 yards per rush, switched to fullback after the season, wasn't heard from again outside of a brief renaissance in 2005.
That's not a very good list to be on. Outside of Mike Anderson's 2001 season, no one has been heard from again after landing on that list. Olandis Gary even failed to make Detroit's 53-man roster after they had traded draft picks to acquire him *AND* were desperately hurting for an RB. Heck, only two other runners have even FLIRTED with making that list- Terrell Davis in 1996 had 4.46 yards per carry when he was a rookie and Denver's vaunted rushing attack was in its very first season, and Reuben Droughns in 2004 had 4.51 yards per carry- and it's not like he's been setting the world on fire since he left Denver, either. After that, you've got 7 seasons with 4.7+ yards per carry, and 5 with 5.0+ yards per carry. Basically, if you have any talent at all, you'll put up a stellar ypc in this system. Getting 4.3 ypc might be an accomplishment elsewhere, but in Denver, it's the death knell.
I *STRONGLY* beg to differ, both with the implication that I don't follow the Broncos closer, as well as with the implication that Bell was outperforming Henry during the offseason. Check out the training camp report thread, which is littered with Lammey's assertions that Henry was clearly outplaying Bell throughout all of training camp. I'll post some highlights-From the Day 1 report:
"Travis Henry showed why he will be a PERFECT fit in this system. He showed tremendous cutback ability and several times made the key moves that had defenders out of position.
...
Bell had his signature power, but he wasn’t running with his head down like he did last year. His vision seemed improved, although it still seemed to me like he was thinking too much and not just playing. Either way, he is certainly going to put up a good fight for that #2 spot."
Day 2:
"Travis Henry was simply AMAZING today... He’s the best RB I’ve seen in Broncos camp since Clinton Portis
...
Mike Bell was not as good as yesterday."
Day 3:
"Travis Henry continued to look great.
...
Mike Bell is back to looking like the Mike Bell from last year. His fresh legs are gone, and he’s back to having only one speed."
Day 4:
"Travis Henry still looked good.
...
Mike Bell is a very willing inside runner. He still struggles with vision... Still doesn’t seem comfortable in zone blocking."
After that, it's a bunch of notes on individual plays by each player, but the theme is still the same.
The struggles in the red zone had nothing to do with Henry. Henry and Sapp (the "short-yardage" guys) scored 5 TDs on 11 carries inside the 5-yard line (45%). In 2006, Mike Bell (the "short-yardage" guy) scored 8 TDs on 17 carries inside the 5-yard line (47%). Essentially identical conversion rates- the difference in TDs has more to do with a decrease in overall redzone possessions as well as the total ineffectiveness of Selvin Young by the stripe (7 carries, 0 TDs).
Lots of people saw Bell play in 2006 and said he wasn't talented. Nobody denied that he could put up good fantasy numbers, but that's because plenty of untalented backs had put up great fantasy numbers in Denver before Mike Bell arrived (Droughns and Gary, most notably).
Biabreakable
Footballguy
:(
massraider
Footballguy
No. I can't remember a time when there were more good RBs on the market.
joffer
Footballguy
well he's not really my type, but i hear he looks great in a uniform
SSOG
Moderator
Fixed it for you.
