If (which this is a big if) Torrain can be that power guy who can go three yards and a cloud of dust then I would feel that our offense is ready for something special.

Now if our defense could play up to snuff we would be set.

I like the heart of the RB group and Young and Hall proved they could do nice things but Torain has all the attributes and going into the second half of the season the line might be ready to take the running game to the lofty hights the passing game is ascending to. If Selvin stays healthy, I think he’ll be in a grove and RT might have to wait his turn. No matter what, the Broncos O looks younger and stronger than it has in a long time and I think they will only improve.

we will likely have had some attrition at RB (just being realistic), so his return will be a real shot in the arm. I hope he has a roster spot waiting for him.

…speaks volumes for this kid’s potential. Normally, if you drafted a guy in the fifth round and then lost him for half the season, you’d either quickly cut him or just let him waste away on I.R. But Shanahan feels that this guy can produce, and, more importantly, produce this year, otherwise it would be I.R. for him. I won’t be stupid as to disagree with Mike Shanahan about a young running back, so therefore I will go ahead and back this kid. He seems to have great potential.

Plus, he has an awesome number.

But if it is a choice between saving a spot for Nalen or Torain, I vote Torain. to bring in some fresh legs then, and also w guys who is ready to rip the heart out of a defense, then that benefits us a lot more.
We have good depth at center (with Hamilton also being able to play there, Weigmann doing well and Lichtensteiger).
I am honestly worried about Nalen. i know it is only a scope but you have to wonder how much he has left. Hope I am wrong as he is a warrior for this team.
Werd!

That’s good news. BTW — I found the answer to one question I had regarding the PUP list, which was whether Torain could stay on it till late in the season. The answer: NO.

A player who is put on the PUP list before the preseason’s first roster cutdown (from 80 to 65 players) must remain inactive through the sixth week of the regular season. At that point, he has a three-week practice “window” before he must either return to the 53-man roster or end his season on injured reserve.

And, as we’ve posted previously, Torain won’t count against the 53 man roster until he returns, which will allow them to carry an extra player. Does anyone think that Nalen might be headed to the PUP list?

I have to wonder if the Broncos see that as the best solution, because it allow them to carry some of the young, healthy OLs we’ve been touting while Nalen heals completely. They can make a cut then, after they’ve had a better read on the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

I’m still looking for the official rules, which I assume the NFL site keeps somewhere, but various other sources specifically state that players on the PUP list are not part of the 53 man opening day roster. In fact, from what I’ve gathered, the PUP list was agreed upon after complaints about teams misusing the injured designation to carry more players. The rigid 6 week inactive rule in which a player cannot practice with the team was designed to prevent teams from misusing the Injured Reserve designation to develop players who were not on the 53 man squad.

Apparently, a player can be placed on the PUP list up until the beginning of the season. I assume anyone on the 75 man squad is eligible, but the cutdown was to 65 last year. In any case, it’s fairly loose except for the 6 week ineligible period, along with the 3 week evaluation. One site says teams are allowed to extend the period, giving a more flexible 6 – 12 week inactive period, but I don’t know if this is accurate. However, I seem to recall the Broncos extending the PUP period for Rod Smith.

This source appears authoritative but I can’t vouch for them.

53-man Protected Roster:
 
          Prior to the opening week of the season, each team must trim its roster to 53 active players by waiving all other players and/or placing them into alternative designations (e.g., IR, Suspended etc.—see Other Player Designations below).
 
          On regular-season game days the team names its 45-man Active Roster which defines those players who may participate in the game. In addition, each team is allowed to name one of the remaining 8 players as its emergency backup QB—that player can only play QB and can only play in the event of injury to the team’s #1 and #2 QBs.

* PUP list: Physically Unable to Perform –
this List designates players with serious injuries that will keep them from being able to start a season on the 53-man protected list but may be able to return to the roster during the regular season. The players must be placed on this roster at or before the league-wide 65-man summer roster cutdown to be eligible for this designation, and they must stay on this list for at least the first six weeks of the regular season. After this time teams have 3 weeks to evaluate such players after which each such player must be placed on the 53-man roster, season-ending Injured Reserve (IR) or waivers.