Denver Broncos Christmas Special: John Elway’s 9th Best Roster Move
We have entered into the top-10 of the Denver Broncos Christmas special documenting John Elway’s 12 best roster moves. It is number 9 on the countdown.
As mentioned yesterday, Denver Broncos executive John Elway continues to make him known as the king of finding under-the-radar players missed by other teams. Brandon Marshall exemplified this quality placing him at number ten on our countdown. Next up on the Christmas special of Elway’s best roster moves is number nine: CJ Anderson.
Unfortunately, Anderson fell through the cracks of the NFL Draft in 2013 leaving anyone to sign the California Golden Bear. Elway gave Anderson a chance to make the team in Training Camp and preseason.
Anderson would deliver making the roster, continuing the trend of an undrafted free agent moving up to the 53-man.
His big moment came at Oakland on Nov. 9, 2014 in a hometown game returning to California. Peyton Manning saw quick pressure up the middle forcing him to dump it to Anderson. The ex-Golden Bear took care of the rest.
In his time as an executive, John Elway wants players with a “kicking and screaming” attitude. Anderson exemplifies this mantra in spade. Despite loss in the playoffs against the Indianapolis Colts, he delivered potentially the best 4th down run in Broncos lore.
Consequently, nothing demonstrates “kicking and screaming” quite like the second half performances Anderson put together in back-to-back seasons.
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If healthy, Anderson is a top running back in football because of his bowling ball mentality. That frame of mind does not apply to linebackers or safeties, but to running backs also.
Therefore, Anderson embodies what John Elway wants as a Denver Broncos players and it is easy to understand why Anderson earned the contract extension this off-season. Adam Gase came close to prying the back away from the Mile High City, but Elway displayed his grit to not let Anderson walk.