Montee Ball is trying to avoid the bust label falling upon him, but his release from the Denver Broncos is hurting that effort. The Broncos announced former second-round draft pick Ball was released after plummeting on the depth chart this preseason. The running back put up solid numbers at the start of his career, but fell behind Ronnie Hillman and CJ Anderson emerged as real talent for the team. Now that he is available after clearing waivers, could a team like the Buffalo Bills sign him after injuries?
The Buffalo Bills had a crowded roster group of running backs until a good portion of the group got injured in the preseason including LeSean McCoy. According to a report by Josina Anderson of ESPN, McCoy suffered a hamstring tear which puts a good portion of his season in doubt. Head coach Rex Ryan admitted that he was not certain McCoy would be healthy at the start of the season saying it was far too early to tell. However, the Dispatch Times reported that both McCoy and Karlos Williams returned to practice which means they might be healthy come Week 1.
With McCoy's injury history, adding another back to the roster would not be the worst idea for Buffalo which is where Ball comes into play. The running back would easily be an upgrade behind McCoy and with starters experience, he could hop in if the starter were to get injured. Ball has looked good in the past, earning praise from Peyton Manning. If he can get some playing time, the Bills would have a solid weapon to work with.
The Bills offense needs all the help they can get with questions at the quarterback position. Tyrod Taylor is getting the Week 1 nod while having the confidence of the coaching staff and players on the roster. Both Percy Harvin and Sammy Watkins have praised Taylor for what he brings to the field and believe he can be the guy to lead everyone. A good ground game makes that critical and if McCoy is on and off the field, the Bills could have issues. Bryce Brown and Boobie Dixon are the other backfield options, but both players have been dealing with health issues that hurt confidence in the rotation. Ball would be an upgrade.
