Montee Ball (38) during rookie minicamp at the Broncos training facility. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

We have a quick poll for you to take this evening. Simply stated, after the Denver Broncos released Willis McGahee last week, are you happy with the team’s trio of running backs?

Let’s take a quick look.

Knowshon Moreno

• Height: 5-11
• Weight: 220 lbs.
• Experience: 5 years
• 2012: 138 carries for 525 yards (3.8 average), 4 touchdowns, and one fumble lost

Chris Harris reacts against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

We’re just 80 days away from the 2013 NFL season, which has the Denver Broncos hosting the Baltimore Ravens to kick things off.

Personally, I’ve successfully gone through the Kubler-Ross model of the five stages of grief after the double overtime divisional playoff loss in mid-January.

Walking out of the stadium that night, I was in complete denial. The utter silence, with the exception of numb footsteps outside Sports Authority Field, had my mind reeling. “We’ll just suit up again next week,” I thought. Orange logic = “That 70-yard bomb didn’t really just provide the crushing blow to our 2012 season.”

As denial wore off, the anger built. I felt abandoned by my team. I had to point a finger or two. The problem was, I didn’t have enough fingers to point. The Broncos were right in their postgame series of cliches. It was a team loss. For me, too many mistakes and not enough luck made the blame game as difficult as herding cats.

The anger eventually subsided, and bargaining arose. If only my team could be spared. I would have given up that 34-17 win in Baltimore just weeks earlier. I would have traded that thumping of the New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night football in October. Hell, I would have even given up that historic come from behind win against the San Diego Chargers when the Broncos were down 24-0 at halftime. Consider those regular season wins tokens of my appreciation for a divisional playoff win. If only.

The fourth stage of grief, depression, didn’t set in until the Ravens won the Super Bowl. Coupled with the fact that football was over, my team, our team, lost to the Super Bowl champions. We had the game in our pockets against the eventual Super Bowl champions. Days of rocking back-and-forth in the shower may have happened.

Currently, I’m at the acceptance stage of grief. I’ve accepted the reality of the loss and learned to live with it. It’s the new normal. The Ravens went to the White House to meet President Obama. Done deal. The good thing is we’re just 80 days away from revenge. The Broncos added Wes Welker, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Quentin Jammer, Shaun Phillips, and beef to offensive and defensive lines. The new normal may just be better than the past.

I hope that you, too, have successfully navigated the stages of grief. If you have, then give this a watch for entertainment value. If you haven’t, then you have until September 5 to get there.

Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter.

Denver Broncos organized team activities are over. Next stop: Training camp. (Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sport)

Mandatory minicamp ended last week and the Denver Broncos are off until the start of training camp at the end of July.

After the five week long break ahead Denver will officially open the 2013 season and games will be right around the corner.

For all intents and purposes the offseason is over, and what an offseason it was.

The Broncos dominated news around the league for the second year in a row. Last offseason it was the Peyton Manning watch and Tim Tebow trade, and this year it was the free agent spending spree and the strange release of Elvis Dumervil.

It seemed like a week wouldn’t go by without Denver being involved in a big story, and the hits kept coming last week with the release of running back Willis McGahee.

McGahee was a favorite among the fan base but was one of the more frustrating players on the team the last few years.  He performed well when he got on the field but injuries became a recurring issue. And when he did play it seemed like he would alternate between stellar runs and turnovers. Fans would find themselves holding their breath during his touches until they heard the whistle. There was just no telling when the football would squirt into the open field.

But with that said McGahee was a great Bronco and will be remembered fondly for helping turn the franchise back into a contender. He was the workhorse back during his two years in Denver, and he had a fantastic season in 2011 when he finished with 1,199 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod.

Regardless of his accomplishments the Broncos were clearly comfortable enough with the running back situation to part ways with him.

That, plus he may not have been fully recovered from the injury that ended his 2012 season. Latest reports are that questions surrounding McGahee’s health may have been the leading factor in his release.

Either way Montee Ball figures to see a lot of action as a rookie and Ronnie Hillman must be impressing the coaches going into his sophomore year. Not to mention that Knowshon Moreno is still in the mix. The running back battle in training camp will be one of the most exciting things to watch when the Broncos get back to work.

For now the players are getting in some vacation and making final preparations for the long season ahead. The fans will be counting down the days until they see the 2013 team in action.

Next stop: Training camp.

Make sure to follow @MileHighMonday on Twitter and Predominantly Orange on Facebook.