Willis McGahee, veteran RB, released by Broncos

The Broncos put their running game largely in the hands of their own draft picks Thursday morning, releasing veteran Willis McGahee.

McGahee was informed of the decision Thursday morning as the team gathered for its final day of minicamp. McGahee had missed the bulk of the Broncos' offseason workouts for what he called "family reasons," but had participated in Tuesday's and Wednesday's mandatory minicamp practices.

In a statement, Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway said, "It's never easy to part ways with a veteran player who made so many positive contributions to our team and our community. I appreciate all of the competitiveness, toughness and leadership Willis brought to the Broncos. He was an integral part of our turnaround during the past two seasons, and I wish him the best as he continues his NFL career."

The move puts Ronnie Hillman, a third-round pick by the Broncos in the 2012 draft and rookie Montee Ball, a second-round pick this past April, at the top of the team's depth chart.

McGahee was given very little work with the offensive regulars in this week's minicamp practices and seemed resigned to Thursday's decision by the Broncos when he said, "If it happens, it happens."

"I'd like to thank Willis for everything he did, he did a great job for us," said Broncos coach John Fox following Thursday's practice. "He was one of our first signees when we came here to get this thing turned around. It's the unfortunate part of this business, but he did a great job."

McGahee, who will turn 32 this season, has two years remaining on a four-year, $9.5 million deal he signed in 2011. He was scheduled to earn a $2.5 million base salary this season and a $2 million base salary in 2014.

The Broncos will take a $1 million dead money hit against their 2013 salary cap with McGahee's release.

He finished the 2012 season on injured reserve after he suffered a torn medial collateral ligament and compression fracture of his right knee early in the second quarter of the Broncos' 30-23 victory over San Diego. McGahee said Tuesday, however, he's been medically cleared to take part fully in the team's practices and that he's had "no problems" with the knee.

McGahee cited "family reasons" for working out in Miami in recent weeks and said he had no regrets about his decision, even if it had given Hillman and Ball a chance to snare some, or even all, of McGahee's potential playing time.

"In fairness to (McGahee) this gives him a better opportunity to hook on somewhere and gives us a better opportunity to give some of these young guys more reps," Fox said. "It's a conscious decision for us to get younger."

Fox added that McGahee's absence in recent weeks "didn't really have anything to do with it."

McGahee also said earlier this week he was convinced the Broncos would have given Hillman and Ball long looks with the offense even if he had attended all of the voluntary workouts at Dove Valley.

"I probably would have been behind the 8-ball anyway," McGahee said. "(It's) a younger group. Just being real, right? But at the end of the day I'm going to go out and be Willis McGahee, man. I can't worry about what those guys are doing. ... Those guys are talented, I like them, I like the way they run."

This year wasn't the first McGahee has done most of his offseason work in Miami in his time with the Broncos. He had hoped for a new contract following his 1,199-yard season in 2011 — he was an injury replacement in the Pro Bowl following that season — and spent much of last year's offseason program in Florida.

He attended the team's mandatory minicamp last June as well and when he reported for training camp he was still the Broncos starter.

"(Competition) is always going to rank high to me because the other guys are younger, I'm always on the bubble," McGahee said Tuesday. "So, not too much you can do, it's a business, if something happens it happens."

The Broncos, by league rules, could have fined McGahee for each missed day this week, because he was under contract.

McGahee reported to the team's mandatory minicamp that began with a meeting Monday night, then got just enough reps on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Broncos to feel comfortable enough to release him.

The former Miami Hurricane has had two remarkable comebacks in his NFL career, first from a devastating knee injury suffered in his last college game and then in 2011 with the Broncos following three seasons as a backup with the Baltimore Ravens.

McGahee was on pace for another 1,000-yard season last year when a blow to the knee delivered by San Diego cornerback Quentin Jammer left the tailback with a torn ligament and compression fracture in his tibia.

Jammer is now with the Broncos as a safety. McGahee is not.


(denverpost.com)