The Broncos are gambling on the health of Jamaal Charles.
There is a bit of excitement in Broncos country as Jamaal Charles has signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos. Charles can also earn another 2.75 million in incentives if he is active on gamedays. His base salary is $1,000,000 with no guaranteed money. (Rotoworld) That means that if Charles shows in camp that he has not recovered, it won’t cost the Broncos anything. The past two seasons, Jamaal Charles has struggled with knee injuries which is likely the reason the Chiefs released him.
This is a high upside move for the Broncos as Charles was an elite back for the majority of his career. This has to be somewhat of a needle in the heart of Chiefs fans as the Broncos and Chiefs are division rivals. The Broncos know full well the damage that Charles can do when healthy having to play Kansas City twice a year. The reports suggest that Charles left the Chiefs on bad terms.
Jamaal Charles is a big name back, but I don’t expect this to be the solution to the Broncos backfield. Charles has struggled with knee issues for two years. Also, running backs after the age of 30 tend to decline significantly, even more than at other positions. The wear and tear of the position is a lot of running backs to take. Jamaal Charles only played 27 snaps last year; so, it is easy to think he has lost his stride. (Pro Football Focus)
The Broncos have a wide open competition at running back. Some would like to pencil in Jamaal Charles, but I think with his injury history he will need to earn the top back role. CJ Anderson has been a contributor for a few years and has shined at times. Devontae Booker is a young option for the Broncos as well. They also drafted Deangelo Henderson. All in all, it is an open competition for the top running back job for the Broncos.
References:
“Jamaal Charles | Running Back.” Jamaal Charles – Denver Broncos – 2017 Player Profile – Rotoworld.com. Web. 04 May 2017.
Pro Football Focus. Web
