The Broncos previously didn’t intend to release running back C.J. Anderson, opting instead to entertain trade offers for him. The current intention is a bit more murky, possibly because no trade offers have come.
“He may or may not,’’ John Elway said regarding Anderson’s return on Sunday, via Mike Klis of 9News.com. “Who knows? We’re going to continue to massage this thing and try and figure out what’s best and gives us the best opportunity to win football games.”
So does that mean keeping or getting rid of Anderson?
“C.J. obviously had a great year for us last year,” Elway said. “We’ll see where that takes us. Obviously, there’s a lot of moving parts to it when you talk about the cap and all those type things, too, so we’ll continue to work on it and see what happens.’’
Obviously, a trade remains a possibility. The challenge ultimately becomes deciding whether to keep Anderson once the offseason program begins, along with the risk of a fluke, season-ending injury that would result in his salary for 2018 being fully guaranteed.
Anderson is due to earn $4.5 million this year and next year, under a four-year, $18 million offer sheet that Anderson signed with the Dolphins two years ago. Denver matched the offer.
Anderson rushed for a career-high 1,007 yards in 2017. The Broncos also have Devontae Booker on the roster, and they could draft a running back; if Saquon Barkley is on the board at No. 5, maybe the Broncos would consider taking him.