Selvin Young: NOT the guy says Mike Shanahan
Interesting comments in the Denver Post from Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan regarding the future of RB Selvin Young:
Selvin Young is ideal for 10 to 15 carries a game, but Shanahan said he’s not a 20-to-25 carry back.
“No, definitely not,” Shanahan said. “Any time a guy’s been hurt as many times as he did, you know that there’s no possible way he can carry the ball 20, 25 times a game. The body just won’t hold up. He went down too many times this year. But you are looking at a guy that you know has big-play potential.”
Not really a surprise, but given the struggles of Travis Henry this season, it seems a foregone conclusion that Denver will ONCE AGAIN be looking for someone new to carry the load at the RB position. It was Young, not Henry, who led the Broncos in rushing this season, marking the FIFTH CONSECUTIVE season that someone different topped Denver’s RB ledger:
| Year | Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Where Are They Now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Selvin Young | 140 | 729 | 1 | Backup in 2008 |
| 2006 | Tatum Bell | 233 | 1025 | 2 | Lions Backup |
| 2005 | Mike Anderson | 239 | 1014 | 12 | Ravens Backup |
| 2004 | Reuben Droughns | 275 | 1240 | 6 | Giants Backup |
| 2003 | Clinton Portis | 290 | 1591 | 14 | Redskins Feature Back |
It’s hard not to notice the diminishing returns the Broncos have gotten from their lead rusher since Clinton Portis’ trade. This year Travis Henry was supposed to erase the need for a committee approach, but nagging injuries and legal concerns regarding a possible failed drug test curtailed a strong start to the season.
Will Henry be back and, if so, provide the 1,400+ yards we forecast for him in 2007? According to the Post article, only if he’s willing to take a significant pay cut. With so many mouths to feed, and a history of financial problems, somehow I wonder if Henry will be willing to do that.
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