"A deception that elevates us is dearer than a host of low truths," said Russian (and Soviet) poet Marina Tsvetaeva.
I came across this quote when I was writing one of my first posts for this particularly fine blog that we all love to read. It started in the off-season when it seemed like no one really had a satisfactory answer for the Denver Broncos interest in quarterbacks; while the team participated and observed at the scouting combine and in their own private workouts.
Sure there was official statements that the team was just doing its due diligence, why those same quarterbacks may be free agents in three to four years or even sooner. The fact is that the Broncos had an opportunity to pick up every single quarterback in this year's draft with the exception of one. Even when they considered jumping back into the first round, it wasn't to pick up a quarterback.
I think Denver knew it was going to start Kyle Orton this season, they knew far before the Collective Bargaining Agreement was signed. Heck, John Fox has had a depth chart up in his office since before a single player was allowed in the building this season and based off of the current depth chart that original depth chart still hasn't changed. Was the Orton mess or The Tebow Thing (whichever you prefer really) merely propaganda? Was the team asking for something ridiculous in return for Orton in order to appease fans and retain Orton at the same time? A conversation for another place maybe; one thing is certain though.
Somewhere along the lines we were all had.
In the meantime Denver's largest off-season acquisition outside of the draft was a running back. Not a defensive tackle, linebacker, corner back or a safety, not an offensive lineman or a wide receiver... A running back.
A running back who won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in his second season in the league and first year under the Broncos current running backs coach Eric Studesville. Sure Denver also visited with DeAngelo Williams as well, but they didn't target Ahmad Bradshaw a player that is arguably the most sure thing out of all three.
Williams signed with the Carolina Panthers three days before Willis McGahee signed with Denver. So I could be completely wrong, but I am guessing that Williams decided to go back to his current team for reasons other than the fact that Denver's offer wasn't a great one. I think the interest in Williams may have had more to do with Knowshon Moreno and less to do with McGahee and had the Broncos had the chance at having all three they would have snatched that opportunity up immediately.
See the season may ride more on McGahee's shoulders than anything. At least offensively, nearly everyone reading this knows that Fox wants to run and run, and run and run. He'll be able to do that with McGahee and Moreno bouncing 15-20 carries between them and someone, likely Lance Ball or LenDale White picking up a few more per game.
Early reports on McGahee have been great and he'll have to be as well, because he's got one of those types of contracts. He's unlike any running back that's been in a Denver uniform before, which is saying a lot. He's going to give Moreno a run for his money and then some. Let's just hope they can both stay healthy the entire season and with the type of load they're expected to garner they should be able to do just that and then some.