Broncos Sign RB Jeremiah Johnson to Active Roster, RB Xavier Omon to Practice Squad

by Sayre Bedinger on Nov 14, 2011 3:29 PM MST in Denver Broncos Roster Moves

The last thing the Broncos wanted to hear about Knowshon Moreno's knee injury was that it was season-ending, but it was clear that the third year tailback was in a great deal of pain and it turned out to be a significant injury--an ACL tear--that will end his 2011 season.

Moreno was sent to injured reserve, and with Willis McGahee already day-to-day, the Broncos clearly needed to bring a running back to the active roster, and that's just what they did. The team has activated former Oregon running back Jeremiah Johnson from the practice squad, and they also added third year back Xavier Omon to the practice squad.

Johnson has been with the Broncos already once this season when he was activated for the Cincinnati game after Moreno went down with an injured hamstring in the first game of the season. He also ran for the Broncos in the pre-season and showed in the first game against Dallas that he had some skill, averaging seven yards per carry.

Lance Ball will be the primary backup, and Johnson will be the third back in case he is needed, and the Broncos also added former Northwest Missouri State star Xavier Omon, who was most recently active in 2009 with the Buffalo Bills.

Omon has seen action in seven regular season games, and has pretty good size at 5'11" 227 pounds. He will likely fill the same emergency role that was previously held by Jeremiah Johnson.

Tweet Comment 50 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I have a signed football from Omon.

ldafjmbvmordjhzhlkbfh;lha;llaktvnlsazkvhzvntzlkjgvnlvknghljvnjlnvhljkvnlxzvhldkvgnhlvnlkgnvjmslmnngvdxlgmnherphwhlgh;ajgznvLAISfnv;lz,mvfnckfkbczjfc

Can you find the 'w' in this mess? Tebow can.

Follow @ImJustZacMan

by Zac Man on Nov 14, 2011 3:38 PM MST reply actions

Lol on the sig!

by MakeCents on Nov 14, 2011 5:40 PM MST up reply actions

Yeah that sig made me laugh too...

We conquered this territory with our bodies and souls, then we watered it with our tears.
Go Denver!

by SSinSD on Nov 14, 2011 5:47 PM MST up reply actions

Zac's Sig for the win!

by idahobronc on Nov 14, 2011 6:49 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs

Wow, Omon had a rough childhood.

Hope he catches a break and can be a success for the Broncos. Tragic stuff…
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/historical/582146

by madtown on Nov 14, 2011 3:40 PM MST reply actions

perhaps he'll just break defenders' arms!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 3:57 PM MST up reply actions

hey johnoson was a beast at oregon in the spread!!!

by bronco_badger on Nov 14, 2011 3:55 PM MST reply actions

^ this

by jaffe28 on Nov 14, 2011 5:59 PM MST up reply actions

Nice, if Omon gets to play

I will call him San Xavier del BLOCK, because he’s going to light suckers up!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 3:57 PM MST reply actions

Welcome aboard Jerimiah and good luck...

This is your chance to shine in the NFL, I hope you are ready…

by bfree2bronc on Nov 14, 2011 4:05 PM MST reply actions

The Mountain man has an unconquerable spirit!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 4:09 PM MST up reply actions

Very excited to see JJ in the regular season

I saw some excellent potential from him in limited action. Hopefully we spread the carries around to all our backs this week, as I think we’re seeing what can happen if someone gets too many carries (McGahee injured again).

Eat that RAIDERS!!!!!!

by DBroncs1414 on Nov 14, 2011 4:08 PM MST reply actions

Sadly

before the Chiefs game, Knowshon struggled so we really couldn’t trust anyone else. Nice to see Ball stepping his game up!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 4:13 PM MST up reply actions

agreed

just saying though now that Ball has shown he can efficiently run the rock, we need to split carries. I understood before yesterday that we couldn’t trust the bench a lot since none of them have much game exp, but now there’s no excuse. If we want McGahee to last this season, and even next season, he can’t have too many more 30 carry games.

Eat that RAIDERS!!!!!!

by DBroncs1414 on Nov 14, 2011 5:20 PM MST up reply actions

This is true

give it to Ball!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 5:55 PM MST up reply actions

Jeremiah showed decent hands in pre-season also

Here again is a chance for a position to NOT be a high draft pick. KM may need to fight for a position and if JJ and Fannin (OTA’s) can ‘show-up’ then RB can be a low pick instead of a second. With QB possibly 1 or 2 and CB the other NEED.

"It's amazing the crowd Tim draws. It’s like he can’t do no wrong. But I’ll tell you what – if you don’t win in this league, it won’t last that long."
Bronco fan since 1966. Current Bronco fan in Vegas, living the good life.

by myerda00 on Nov 14, 2011 4:41 PM MST reply actions

Well

We are now a run (more than anyone team) team.
Is there any real concern about ah..ah depth?
Yes…we did run over a team that gave up 31 to Miami..
Yes our defense did limit a Chief’s offense to 10 points..only 7 more than Miami…
We face a stretch of games that even with a strong offense and capable defense would be a challenge…
If we are going to run 40+ times a game…can we sustain this?
We are playing for next year… JJ has some real potential and just like Tebow …let’s see how it unfolds..

by nogopostal on Nov 14, 2011 4:54 PM MST reply actions

I too have been disappointed in KM but you gotta feel

for the guy with his injuries he’s had to go through. He cannot be faulted for lack of effort or off-season commitment. I believe he’s done all he could do to be as good as he could be but just is not a natural runner. (reminds me a bit of Gerald Wilhite). Get better KM and come back and give it your best next year.

"I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."

by rubincarterrocks on Nov 14, 2011 4:58 PM MST reply actions

JJ ran this style of offense in Oregon

I think he will excel with it.

by broncosforever on Nov 14, 2011 5:14 PM MST reply actions

I was just looking that up, because I was pretty sure Oregon ran the option-read.

If our offensive line keeps it up. If our RBs are getting 10-15 carries each. If Tebow’s getting ~10 carries.

I don’t see any reason why any of these if’s are impossible or even unlikely. I don’t see any reason why the Broncos’ offense can’t keep this up long term. Tebow isn’t Vick. Tebow’s got some pretty decent bulk on him to insulate him from the worst of the load.

by Tezcatlipoca on Nov 14, 2011 5:28 PM MST up reply actions

Matt Schuab to IR

The Texans are an unlucky team. They finally are set to win their division for the first time, then Schuab goes down. Brutal.

by RSH089 on Nov 14, 2011 5:26 PM MST reply actions

I think Kubiak could help Leinart

the potential’s there, he’s just gotta stop being a little girl in the pocket and throw beyond the check down.

Eat that RAIDERS!!!!!!

by DBroncs1414 on Nov 14, 2011 5:28 PM MST up reply actions

I agree. Leinart can throw the ball well

by myerda00 on Nov 14, 2011 5:33 PM MST up reply actions

Leinart has the potential

he just wanted to be a party animal instead of a professional. He didn’t want to grow up.

If the Jets have a fourth and a foot situation, Rex will probably go for it

by Broncs55 on Nov 14, 2011 5:58 PM MST up reply actions

Who does?

I spent my first four years out of college drinking my way across Asia…

by Tezcatlipoca on Nov 14, 2011 7:07 PM MST up reply actions

… with Russians and Australians, for that matter.

by Tezcatlipoca on Nov 14, 2011 7:07 PM MST up reply actions

Me too

After graduating from college, I spent 14 years drinking and partying in the Far East before coming back to the US and settling down. I was a wild and crazy cat!

by Broncos15 on Nov 15, 2011 6:18 AM MST up reply actions

thankfully

everyone else in their division sucks

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 5:59 PM MST up reply actions

As they say: Next man up!

We conquered this territory with our bodies and souls, then we watered it with our tears.
Go Denver!

by SSinSD on Nov 14, 2011 5:52 PM MST reply actions

Apparently, we're not the only ones with running back injuries

Can you say LaDanian Tomlinson and MCL!!!

I’m not celebrating his injury, as I don’t wish injury on anyone (except Phyllis Rivers), but at the same time, I am as we probably won’t have to face him.

If the Jets have a fourth and a foot situation, Rex will probably go for it

by Broncs55 on Nov 14, 2011 5:57 PM MST reply actions

Well

all teams are rife with injuries, the best teams find a way to overcome!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 6:02 PM MST up reply actions

true

but LaDanian is a key injury imo

If the Jets have a fourth and a foot situation, Rex will probably go for it

by Broncs55 on Nov 14, 2011 6:04 PM MST up reply actions

we'll CAPITALIZE, we must!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Nov 14, 2011 6:05 PM MST up reply actions

I hope so

I think that will just make them a bit more 1 dimensional, although I could be wrong. I think our largest strength on defense is our pass rush.

Our weakest link became our biggest strength since last year.

If the Jets have a fourth and a foot situation, Rex will probably go for it

by Broncs55 on Nov 14, 2011 6:21 PM MST up reply actions

There was a time when this held true.

But what LaDainian Tomlinson now has for total rushing yards this season, Willis McGahee just about equaled in one game alone this year. LT was the game’s best RB for a long time, but McGahee wasn’t a slouch, either. Remember Travis Henry? He didn’t want to be McGahee’s backup with the Bills, and he eventually ended up with the Broncos.

by 9798 on Nov 15, 2011 11:37 AM MST up reply actions

McGahee cleared, expected to start Thursday

Willis McGahee has been medically cleared to practice on Tuesday after leaving Sunday’s game with a left hamstring strain.
NFL teams playing on Thursdays have to release “hypothetical” participation reports even when they don’t practice on Mondays, and McGahee was listed as a would-be “limited” participant for the Broncos today. Reports beat writer Lindsay Jones, “If McGahee’s hamstring holds up well in practice Tuesday, he will start against the Jets” on Thursday Night Football.

Management needs to earn my faith, the past has taught me too much.

by BRASO on Nov 14, 2011 7:04 PM MST reply actions

Thats great news for us

"It's all over fat man!"
-Tom Jackson
"When John Elway is standing in lava with a football, he will stay there and sink until you're open"
-Seanbaby

by Calikula on Nov 14, 2011 7:09 PM MST up reply actions

and my fantasy team. :P

McGahee’s been hugeeeeee for us this year.

by Matt In Canada on Nov 14, 2011 10:04 PM MST up reply actions

bring on the Jets

He attacked everything in life with a mix of extraordinary genius and naive incompetence, and it was often difficult to tell which was which.
Douglas Adams

by Whidbey Bronco on Nov 14, 2011 9:35 PM MST reply actions

The original Jeremiah Johnson's

nickname was Liver Eatin Johnson , because he ate the liver’s of the tribe he tormented that killed his squaw…

It will be a while before we host the KC losers again, but I am certain JJ will have liver in mind when they do.

by csason on Nov 14, 2011 9:49 PM MST reply actions

Omon is a good back. i am surprised he was on waivers.

"They’re a very special group of men. Cherish them, you will not see their like again."

by chaucer on Nov 15, 2011 12:13 AM MST reply actions

I think the jets will stuff the broncos’ running game. this is a game in which denver will have to air it out. they should really practice to improve tebow’s passing skills. i don’t like that they are not making him into a passer. really, i don’t mean to take anything away from their winning ways, but they truly have to be better at passing the ball to become a more balanced offense. a quarterback has to be able to complete accurate passes, but by taking away passing plays, how are they helping him become a better quarterback?

"They’re a very special group of men. Cherish them, you will not see their like again."

by chaucer on Nov 15, 2011 12:16 AM MST reply actions

Since Denver was

running the ball so well against KC, I don’t think the coaching staff wanted to show our passing game to future opponents just yet. I have a good feeling that Tebow is going to light up the Jets through the air and make them pay for stacking the box. Is it Thursday yet?

by Broncos15 on Nov 15, 2011 6:21 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs

The Jets have a star CB in Revis

I don’t think we are going to do anymore passing than we have too. The Jets run defense is not great and our run offense has been working well. Expect more of the same with passing becoming a priority if we fall behind.
As for making Tebow a better QB, I am sure they are working with him in practice and as others have pointed out working with game film to build his awareness of what is happening in games. The object for the Broncos is to win games, not to improve the QB. The QB needs to improve while winning games. If the run works, then Tebow is just going to have to get better at passing on his own. For myself, if the run wins games I don’t care if Tebow could pass the ball through the St. Louis Arch!

Go Broncos!

by Sean in Pa. on Nov 15, 2011 6:40 AM MST up reply actions

New England exposed the Jets d

They are vulnerable to the pass, the quarterback Sanchez is struggling, they can’t stop the run. A few weeks ago I worried about the jets, now not so much

by Baghdad on Nov 15, 2011 3:51 AM MST reply actions