Denver Broncos trade machine: RB Alfred Morris

The Denver Broncos are having problems running the football. That doesn’t all fall on the running backs on the team, but at this point, it’s hard to blame everything solely on the offensive line.

Teams are stacking the box against the Broncos and daring them to pass it over the top, which to this point, they’ve been unable to do consistently. The Broncos need a running game that is viable enough to keep defenses honest and open up the passing game a little bit for the aged Peyton Manning.

C.J. Anderson, just an offseason removed from a Pro Bowl season in 2014 in which he didn’t even join the lineup full time until midway through the season, is currently averaging 2.6 yards per carry. He’s been getting hit at or behind the line of scrimmage plenty, but the fan favorite Anderson is also lacking burst or vision required for the zone blocking tactics being employed by Gary Kubiak.

The only perimeter running game to speak of for the Broncos this season has come from Ronnie Hillman, whose 72-yard run against the Vikings represents just under 20 percent of the team’s rushing yards this season.

If you didn’t barf at that statistic like I did, you might be a little too optimistic. That percentage is good for a game’s worth of rushing yards for the Broncos at this point.

Therefore, I’m going to start looking at ways the team can improve up front, and at this point, I think the offensive line has had enough of a makeover. It might be time for the Broncos to pursue some new options at running back, which has to include promoting Kapri Bibbs from the practice squad.

I’m going to throw out the name Alfred Morris of the Washington Redskins, and I think this is a decent fit on a number of levels. First and foremost, because Morris was selected by Mike Shanahan and excelled in the zone blocking scheme with Washington, and has quietly been one of the most consistently good running backs in the NFL his first three years in the league.

Also, Morris has a very favorable contract among players that would possibly be considered in any trade situations. Morris’ fourth and final year of his rookie deal expires at the end of this season, so acquiring him would essentially be a rental for the rest of this season.

Due to that fact, the price of obtaining Morris at this juncture would likely not be a whole heck of a lot for the Broncos.

This is a trade that would make sense on a number of levels, but would the Broncos feel desperate enough to pull the trigger?

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