Jan 3, 2013; Fort Lauderdale FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Eddie Lacy (42) during a press conference for the 2013 BCS National Championship game at Harbor Beach Marriott Resort

The Denver Broncos have had one very exciting off season and the draft is still weeks away! John Elway and company truly came out out of the gates in a signing frenzy. While they also had to  suffer through the Elvis Dumervil debacle, no one can say that the organization wasn’t active. For better or worse, the team has continued to reinforce it’s commitment to winning a championship.

In this very column last week, defense was the topic. Despite the loss of DOOM from the Broncos top five ranked defense, the team’s recent additions and current players still make this an elite squad. On the offensive side of the ball, Bronco fans should be even more excited. Denver managed to add two of the best players at their respective positions in Louis Vasquez and Wes Welker. It also doesn’t hurt that Ryan Clady is back to protect the engine that makes the whole thing go!

Vegas seems to agree that this is one of, if not the team to beat come February 2, 2014. Are we being too optimistic? What exactly are the Broncos missing? I would contend that the only really pressing need that remains is at the running back position.

Now, Peyton Manning has never needed an elite back. He definitely needs one that can block and one with a set of hands. That is truly about it. Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai hardly qualify as elite but they got the job done in a Peyton Manning lead offense. So, the question is how much better would a Peyton Manning lead offense be with a monster in the back field?

Enter, Eddie Lacy. For all the mock drafts and the Manti Te’o talk, the Broncos still have a gaping whole in their backfield. It appears that the current free agent crop is not exciting anyone in the front office, nor should it. Lacy should be there at the 28^th pick to fill that void. Bronco fans know they have a gutty, change of pace player in Ronnie Hillman and they certainly have a veteran tutor in Willis McGahee but they need a force pounding away at the line of scrimmage.

The problem is that a hamstring injury left Lacy unable to participate in the NFL combine last month. He also missed Alabama’s pro day on March 24. However, Lacy has announced that he wil be able to work out for NFL scouts on next Thursday, April 11. Mark your calendars. The concern is his straight ahead speed and if he can log a 40 time in the 4.4-4.6 range he’s going to go in the first round. This writer definitely wants to see him work out just to be sure… but also hopes he turns out to be the 28^th pick!

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Dec 2, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Shonn Greene (23) runs past Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Paris Lenon (51) during the game at Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

…and so the whispering rumors begin! I for one can attest to the curiosity as far as who the Denver Broncos will be scoping at as the free agency period is starting to appear on the horizon. Indeed, the bulk of the additions that will be made to the Broncos will more than likely be done during free agency; especially since the team has the 28th spot in round one of the NFL Draft this year. However, any fan out there certainly knows that could change a few times before April 25th 2013 as the Broncos and other teams could wheel-and-deal for a closer spot. For now, the focus is on free agency.

I have had a lot of speculation in the past with who the Broncos should pick, but now it is a growing possibility that the franchise could be looking to charm New York Jets RB, Shonn Greene into an orange jersey. The RB position on the Broncos was weakened dramatically with the loss of their main ground target, RB Willis McGahee, putting Knowshon Moreno in place after McGahee was injured during the home game against the San Diego Chargers in Week 11.

According to CBS Sports, John Elway indicated recently that McGahee will return in 2013, however it all remains to be said depending on the recovery from his knee injury that kept him benched after Week 11. “We’re going through that process right now,” Elway said. “Willis is under contract, so we’re thrilled that he’ll be back. We’ll see how he comes off that knee. He’s been a tremendous asset for us the last two years that he’s been there. We’re still going through that evaluation process and we’ll see how he comes off the knee.” A valuable asset indeed.

It was 2011 when Willis McGahee played a full year healthy. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, 1,199 yards, and 4 touchdowns under then Broncos QB Tim Tebow. Up until he was injured in Week 11 in 2012, McGahee averaged 4.4 yards per carry, 731 total yards and 4 touchdowns respectively. Do I think they will replace him? I have confidence that McGahee will return to the roster in 2013, especially since he has the whole off season to concentrate on his recovery and work out, even if it is limited.

Though it cannot be said on what the Broncos will do with their RB position, Shonn Greene would definitely be a good pick up if they decide to make some changes to replace Moreno and/or McGahee. In 2012, Moreno averaged 3.8 yards per carry, 525 total yards, and landed 4 touchdowns under the leadership of Peyton Manning. Greene averaged 3.9 yards per carry, 1,063 yards, and 8 touchdowns (according to NFL.com). More impressively for Greene was this was done with the frazzle of the Jets QB issues last year. What could his potential be if he had a strong, solid QB like Peyton Manning to make the most of the ground movement?

The Jets are closing the book on the Shonn Greene era, and he will definitely be in another uniform in 2013. Greene is rumored to meet with the Denver Broncos in March, in addition to entertaining an interest from the Atlanta Falcons. Keep an eye out, Bronco Country, it’s going to get more interesting as time edges closer!

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With the injury to Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno (27) will likely be activated for the first time since week 2 (Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE).

Who doesn’t love a good debate?  In the wide world of sports, debates are all the rage.  Should Ed Reed have been suspended for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Emmanual Sanders?  Should the New York Jets supplant Mark Sanchez with Tim Tebow?  What were the Lakers thinking by firing Mike Brown while Norv Turner is still on the San Diego Chargers‘ payroll.  Heck, there are entire shows dedicated to the art of debating all things sports related.

The “controversy” surrounding who will be next man up to replace injured Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee is one debate that won’t be settled until Sunday at the earliest.  But why?

Look, it’s not that there is a lack of curiosity of which back the real No. 2, and obviously McGahee’s hard-nosed running and veteran savvy are going to be missed.   Beyond that though, the Broncos need a back who is capable of knowing the play call, altering protections on the fly, gaining 3 or 4 yards at a time, and swinging out to snag a few passes.  This Broncos’ offense is not based on the run; it is following the recent pattern of Super Bowl Champions who are pass first, run because you have to.

The New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers share similarities.  They are the last two Super Bowl champs, they both caught fire after struggling early, and they both have pass-centric offenses that buck the conventional wisdom of how to effectively run the football.  Last year, the Giants had 8 regular season games that the team collected more than 100 rushing yards.  When it was all said and done, they had a 100-yard rusher only twice.  As a team they ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing yards and yards per attempt.  Similarly, the Packers in 2010 had 6 games that the team eclipsed the 100-yard mark and only had a 100-yard rusher once during the entire regular season.  That year they ranked 24th in overall yards and 25th in yards per attempt.  Bottom line: these teams were not good rushing teams, but were still able to win a championship.

The Broncos haven’t really been that stout in the running game either to the tune of 19th in rushing yards and yards per attempt.  McGahee has produced three 100-yard games and as a team, the Broncos have run for 100 yards or more in only 4 of 10 games.  Not to take anything away from McGahee and the great work he’s done in Denver and over the course of his career, but if this were Terrell Davis going down mid-season, the concern would be far weightier.  Think back to the 14-2 team of 1998.  The Broncos averaged 154 yards per game on the ground and John Elway threw for more than 250 yards only four times in the regular season.  Running the ball was the bread and butter of the offense.

In 2012, when the Broncos hand the ball off to the dogs and ponies (mostly ponies), it is purely as a compliment to the all-out aerial bombardment that has been so effective and has put Peyton Manning squarely in the MVP spotlight.  Remember, he’s thrown for 250 in all but one of his games as a Bronco.  So as glorious as it is to pontificate about who should be the new top dog in the backfield, does it really matter?  Ronnie Hillman, Lance Ball, Knowshon Moreno: Can you pick up a blitz?  Can you pick up critical yards?  Can you hold on to the ball?  You’re hired!  It really is that simple.