Rumor: Mike Bell to be Released

by LucasBrazil on Jul 21, 2008 2:43 PM MDT Comment 11 comments

Posted in Broncos Buzz by Kyle on Mon Jul 21st

[Bell]

Denver Broncos running back Mike Bell apparently isn’t feeling too god about his job security. Bell told CBS4 Denver’s Gary Miller that he expects to be released when he meets with Head Coach Mike Shanahan today.

Playing fullback last year after some success at tailback in 2006, Bell rarely saw the field and even fumbled the ball on one of his few carries in 2007. The re-signing of Cecil Sapp and the use of a 7th round draft choice on Peyton Hillis all but guaranteed Bell would have a difficult time making the team.

The Broncos need to release two players in order to sign their rookie class to contracts.

No surprise here, I didn’t think Bell had much of a chance to make the team in the long run either way. At least this gives him time to try to latch onto another team, although the crop of free agent running backs out there will make it difficult.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

0 recs | Comment 11 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

it´s from broncostalk.net

by LucasBrazil on Jul 21, 2008 2:44 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure

he’ll be alright for the Texans once they decide to pick him up. Whether it be next week or next season, I can almost give a 100% guarantee that this guy will at least work out for the Texans.

...I still miss you, Kubiak : (

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Jul 21, 2008 2:52 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

He was released

He didn’t work out, but I wish him well. Going to Broncos South? Good for them both if it happens.

Think where man's glory most begins and ends,
And let me say my glory was I had such friends
-Yeats-

by Emmett Smith on Jul 21, 2008 2:59 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Farewell Bell!

I still like you. He was a character guy.

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Tim Lynch on Jul 21, 2008 3:09 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Was and still is.

I wish them both all the best.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. - Emerson

by firstfan on Jul 21, 2008 3:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish the best for him!

I believe he was a Denver native as well. Good luck kid, you rocked in Denver for a season….I’m with you on your prediction FlaBroncoFan.

"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together." - The Beatles

by Denver_Native on Jul 21, 2008 7:40 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

The Real Scoop

It would be nice for for an investigative reporter to get the real scoop as to why Bell went from impressive rookie to the dog house to the out house. We are only left to speculate.

Bell seemed to have good vision and cut back ability. And of course he had good leaping ability at the end zone, leading to a number of TDs. However, one could speculate that he did not have great speed or tackle-breaking ability. And in the stretch play you can’t cut it back all the time to be effective, sometimes you have to be able to stretch it out around the corener (something Selvin Young had the speed to do). I guess Bell was a good back, but Shanahan is always looking for greatness.
I think most fans liked Mike Bell and wish him luck.

For the Broncos, I hope this leads to Hillis learning quick and playing a lot, and well. I like Cecil, but we have not seen anything consistent or dynamic out of him. And I think Peyton Hillis could add a real dimension to the Broncos with passing to the fullback, that they have never had. I am not talking only about an occaisional key catch, backs like Howard Griffith used to make. But I am talking about a fullback who could catch 40-50 balls a year. This would really help Cutler, cause teams primarily play Cutler for the down field throw, and the fullback is a receiver teams rarely account for in coverage.

It would move the chains and drive pass rushing and blitzing teams like the Chargers and Patriots crazy. This is because fullback coverage is usually by linebackers, and we know that is the weakness of the Chargers and Patriots backers – coverage. Their backers are built to pass rush. So I sure hope Hillis is utilized quick, as in game 2.

by The Gun Young on Jul 22, 2008 11:36 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Fumbles

by broncfanstuckinsd on Jul 22, 2008 11:43 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I second the fumbles

and I will add that our 2006 backfield was slim pickens, in the worst way. Tatum Bell was complaining about not being “the man” and Ron Dayne was still hanging around.

I remember liking Bells story when he came into camp, but I always felt he was way too slow for his size. When the rumors out of camp were that he was really impressing the coaches, my thought was “this kids gonna end up getting his heart broken.” I just didn’t think he was going to be a long term solution (and don’t get me started about wearing #30).

He really only had one good, all-around game with the Broncos, and that was against PIT, a good team. As to why he played so well against PIT, I’m not sure, except that in that game T.Bell left the game with turftoe, so maybe PIT just didn’t know what to expect. Hard to say. I think in the next game M.Bell averaged around 1.6 yds per carry, so his time in the sun was relatively short. Scoring on those leaping TDs was interesting for a little while, but it lost its effectiveness pretty quickly. I think he had 8 TDs all year, which was enough to lead the backfield, but in Denver’s offense, somebody has to score the rushing TDS.

What I give Mike Bell the most credit for is for proving once and for all that Tatum Bell was a waste of time. When T.Bell could barely earn the starting job ahead of a slow, undrafted FA, I think it opened some eyes in Dove valley and prompted the Broncos to get serious about bringing a RB to town. Unfortunately the timing wasn’t that great, since Henry was the cream of the FA crop in 2007, but at least our success with Selvin and Hall seems to have encouraged Shanny to go ahead and spend a fifth rounder on Torain…

/end ramble

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by Jeremy Bolander on Jul 22, 2008 12:29 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

I couldnt have said it any better

I find it great that the Broncos can get a undrafted FA (Bell, SY) or a late round draft pick (TD, Anderson) and still be a top 10 running team. I believe this year Torian will add to that list

by broncfanstuckinsd on Jul 22, 2008 12:46 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs