This has not been a great offseason for Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno.
We learned that he was likely headed for a reduced role in the Broncos backfield with the arrival of John Fox. The new head coach said running back was their No.1 priority in free agency despite the fact the Broncos have almost no defensive tackles.
Moreno was a top-15 draft pick only two years ago, but reportedly it didn’t take long for Josh McDaniels to “privately realize he made a big mistake.” Woody Paige of the Denver Post writes that Moreno is not what the Broncos thought.
“He hasn’t been tough, smart, motivated, if that’s what you’re asking. . . . He’s not a great clubhouse guy. Interpret that how you want, and he’s been a wimp on the field,” Paige writes.
It’s an interesting criticism. Moreno was billed coming out of school as a versatile player that was highly intelligent and a team-first guy. He’s been fairly productive as a pro, but not great.
In theory, Moreno could rebuild his stock with a new staff. In reality, most of the offensive staffers have remained last year and it sounds like Fox doesn’t love what he’s seen on tape of Moreno.
Moreno hasn’t been seen this offseason at the Broncos players-only workouts, and it sounds like he’ll be seen in a backup role in 2011.