The Denver Broncos have reportedly re-signed starting running back C.J. Anderson after being about to lose him to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins had supposedly structured the deal so the Broncos couldn't match it - however, this was not the case.
The Broncos wanted to sign at least one important player this offseason and head coach Gary Kubiak did not want to let his lead back get away. Anderson has been a key part of the Broncos playoff runs for the past two seasons, and now he will look to be a 3-down back without Ronnie Hillman breathing down his neck.
For the last couple of seasons, Anderson and Hillman would trade snaps and the hotter back would get more of the carries throughout the game. Now, it appears the workload is all on Anderson's shoulders as the running back reportedly signed a four-year, $18 million contract with the franchise.
With Mark Sanchez as the only quarterback on the Broncos roster capable of starting, Anderson could see a ton of carries during the 2016 season. The 25-year-old has spent three seasons with the Broncos, each one better than the last.
The main problem is that Anderson only started in 13 games since being on the roster, and has never broken 1,000 yards rushing or had 10-plus touchdowns in his career. On the other side of the equation, the Miami Dolphins not only lost their best running back in Lamar Miller, but now must rely on a sophomore to lead them on the ground.
The Dolphins were the primary team in the mix for Anderson's services, however, it was just not meant to be. The Dolphins will look to utilize Jay Ajayi, Damien Williams and Robert Herron as the primary running backs in this offensive backfield. The team could also look to draft a running back with the 13th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. They do have needs at cornerback after releasing Brent Grimes, inside linebacker and along the offensive line.
Most likely a running back will have to come from the later rounds as the Dolphins have too many needs to select a running back that early. Re-signing Anderson was the best of a bad situation for the Broncos and, somehow, not getting Anderson has only made the Dolphins situation worse.
