Mike Bell: Kicking Azz

[Atlas]

Monday, July 31, 2006

Haven Marceau @ 4:34 am

SoCAls link: http://broncos.mostvaluablenetwork.com/

It is an age old edict; You should never underestimate the power of a man fighting for his homeland.


As Mike Bell entered the 2006 NFL Draft he implied to possible suitors that he would rather not be drafted. It’s difficult to understand that approach, because as far as I can tell there is no precedent for it anywhere in the league. Sure, there was John Elway telling the Colts that he didn’t want them to draft him, and there was Eli Manning taking the same approach with the San Diego Chargers. But in both of those cases we were talking about the number one overall pick in the draft. When you’re the consensus #1 player coming out of college you can afford to tell a team or two you’d rather they not draft you. But not when you’re on the bubble of getting drafted at all.

That was the reality for Mike Bell, a solid, but not overwhelming running back entering the NFL draft after playing out his college career with the Arizona Wildcats. So what would prompt a player in such a situation to tell interested teams that he would rather the team not draft him? Home. You see Mike Bell fancies himself a Denver Native. He was raised in the Denver area before moving to Arizona to attend High School, and he has been a Broncos fan since those early days. He so badly wanted to return to Denver and play for the Broncos that he was willing to go undrafted in order to have the ability to sign with Denver as a free agent. That’s just what he did.

It would be an interesting enough story if that were the end of it, but Bell’s play throughout the first days of Broncos’ training camp are starting to suggest that the story may just be beginning. In camp it’s a little tough to get a clear picture of the running backs because there isn’t real tackling going on, and the defense has a pretty good idea when a running play is coming. The fog will begin to lift on the running back situation once the pre-season games begin. One thing that is clear, however, is that Mike Bell is more than just a feel good story.

By many accounts Mike Bell has looked more explosive than both Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne. Bell has already moved up to third on the depth chart ahead of Cedric Cobbs, who is turning out to be rather disappointing. But Mike Bell has earned that #3 spot with how he has performed thus far, and if the two incumbents aren’t careful Mike isn’t going to be stopping at #3.

At 6’1” and 220 pounds, Mike Bell has nice size for a running back. He has great feet and very good vision that he has used to make some nice cutbacks during practices. He has been explosive coming off the ball and finding gaps in the defense. The one knock on Bell is that he lacks the breakaway speed of a Clinton Portis or Tatum Bell, but so did Terrell Davis and he managed to do okay.

When it comes to the starting position Mike Bell does make an interesting case. I don’t think Mike Shanahan is a huge fan of the running back by committee situation he was in last year with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell. I think he would much prefer a feature back like the Broncos had during the Super Bowl years. Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne each have their weaknesses when it comes to being a feature back. Tatum doesn’t pound out many tough yards and he leaves a lot to be desired when he’s called on to pass protect. Dayne I lacking explosiveness and he doesn’t have the speed to get to the outside.

Mike Bell, interestingly enough, almost seems like a combination of Ron and Tatum. He’s faster and more explosive than Ron Dayne and has the ability to get to the outside and make people miss in the open field. He’s more powerful than Tatum Bell which allows him to pick up more tough yards between the tackles, and also helps him in pass protection.

Mike Bell is still the dark horse in the race for the Broncos starting tailback position, but if he continues to improve on the groundwork that he’s already laid he’ll certainly be in the mix. It may come down to whether the coaching staff feels that two heads are better than one. If they do, then Tatum and Ron are a shoe in to get the bulk of the carries. But if Shanahan and CO. would rather a back that is a little bit of everything, Denver may have their next 1,000 yard rusher from nowhere in Mike Bell. One thing is for certain; Mike Bell will fight like a man on fire to stick in Denver, his homeland.

[55CrushEm]

Nice read.....thx.

[Rascal]

Good fluff piece.

Hope he does well as I would also like to stay away from the RBBC approach.

[Clockwork Orange]

Impossible not to root for this guy. A lifelong Bronco fan getting a chance to play for his favorite team. He's living all of our dream.

[Atlas]

This is a pretty good site. Here is another article from it.

Day 1 & 2 Training Camp Commentary
Filed under: General— Nick Korte @ 10:11 am
Reports from training camp are coming in, and once again, the community is receiving excellent first-hand coverage from members of the Orange Mane message board. You may read the reports for Day 1 and Day 2 here.

Here are the most interesting things I have pulled out of these reports thus far, broken down by position:

QB: No real surprises here. It appears that Plummer is still solid and Cutler still has a lot to learn, while Bradlee Van Pelt isn’t moving much beyond mediocrity.

RB: I’m disappointed to learn that this group is struggling. Neither Tatum Bell, Dayne, nor Cobbs are really lighting things up at all. This should be an obvious concern, as the running game is a large key for the Broncos success. A silver lining is that Mike Bell appears to be fitting in well. I figured he would, and I’m curious if he’ll be able to fight hard enough to earn a roster spot, as he is one of the more easier players to stow away on the practice squad. One name that’s been ignored that could also make some noise is Marty Johnson. I’ll keep an eye on him, as any running back that could run for Denver should be.

This report will surely fuel the rumors that if Ashley Lelie is traded, it will be for a running back.

WR & TE: It’s real heartening to hear that Javon Walker is doing well after his surgery. I was a bit concerned when the Broncos gave up a high second-rounder to get him (I preferred the lower second rounder), but all reports so far have helped allay those concerns.

Brandon Marshall is having a good camp, as I had hoped and expected. But the other rookie making some waves is Tony Scheffler. The big rave on him is his hands. This is very good news, because we all know that Stephen Alexander is there primarily to block, not to catch. If Scheffler keeps this up, he could be a critical complement at tight end. Nate Jackson is also having very good days, but if Scheffler keeps up the good work, he’s going to have an uphill battle to make the roster, as I had projected.

Charlie Adams, as I expected, is likely to lose out the fierce competition at his position.

Finally, this year’s Todd Devoe could be David Kircus. He’s a player I didn’t pay any attention to in my roster projections, but the same was true for Devoe last year. Yet another guy to keep an eye on.

OL: Not a whole lot of news here, but it’s concerning to hear the running backs struggling, because that could also mean bad news for the O-line. The recent signing of Adam Meadows may mean that more competition is needed at the position. Some have also suggested that the signing of Meadows could be a move to assure that the Chiefs (who have lost both their starting tackles to retirement) didn’t get him first.

It was interesting to see Chris Kuper look good. I had him pegged as the one drafted rookie to be sent to the practice squad, but perhaps it will be Greg Eslinger instead.

DL & LB: There isn’t much for me to comment on the front seven yet, but I did note that Nate Webster is doing well. He’s another guy I didn’t pay much attention to, but maybe there’s a reason why the Broncos signed him beyond camp fodder.

DB: It’s very heartening to hear that the depth at safety may be better than I thought. Remember, John Lynch and Nick Ferguson are not spring chickens. On the other hand, it might be the depth at cornerback that is a concern. That’s a bit worrisome, considering the types of injuries Champ Bailey and Darrent Williams were exposed to last year. It looks like Roc Alexander may finally be learning the system—it’ll be interesting to see if he can contribute.

ST: There’s some hope that Ernster could beat out Knorr for punting duties in Sauerbrun’s absence. Suffice to say that this is good to hear. It’s disappointing to hear that Domenik Hixon could be out for a long time, because I was really eager to see if he could give Darrent Williams a break on returning duties.

[Kaylore]

Great read. This guy could be special. Keep chugging, Mike. Could he be the combination of Mike Anderson and Tatum bell, thusly: Mike Bell?:notworthy

[Atlas]

Good fluff piece.

Hope he does well as I would also like to stay away from the RBBC approach.


Having a Bronco fan become the starter would be a good story.

[shakenbake]

Did he really say that he would rather go undrafted and come to Denver as a free agent ?

[Bob's your Information Minister]

That is pretty cool.

[Hotrod]

Start the season already!!!!!!!!!

[cutthemdown]

im on record about how much I like Mike Bell.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Has anyone even seen a photo of this guy?

[Kaylore]

Did he really say that he would rather go undrafted and come to Denver as a free agent ?
Well he did, but it was after he wasn't drafted so kind of expected.

[shakenbake]

im on record about how much I like Mike Bell.


Prior to training camp I really hadn't paid very much attention to him so today I went back and looked to see what people were saying. You are correct, you had nothing but praise for the kid. It is kinda funny to go back and see what people say. You hear everything from soft to camp fodder. I hope the hype can transfer from camp into the games. Rep for you either way!!!

[Hotrod]

Well bobo I dont have a picture but I understand hes alittle tuffer version of this guy.

http://www.collectr.com/ce/images/cpnorrisc.jpg

[shakenbake]

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/71467108.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193875DCB1DD8387ABB1B7A3DC13457A3B5

[NYBronc]

This is an interesting article on Mike from colts.scout.com

<A HREF="http://colts.scout.com/2/518588.html">Mike Bell: "I Won't Stop Until I'm on Top" </A>

The depth of talent at the running back position in this year's draft is exciting. And one of the players to definitely keep an eye on is Arizona running back Mike Bell. Find out why Bell is going to be a terrific choice in this year's NFL Draft, and why he qualifies as a Colts Hot Prospect.


Quite simply, there's one thing everyone needs to know about Arizona running back Mike Bell.

"I won't stop until I'm done, no matter what the situation is," he recently told ColtPower's Ed Thompson. "Eventually I'll get to where I want to be, so it doesn't matter what route it is. I won't stop until I'm on top."

Bell has learned first-hand the value of hanging tough and working hard for all that's important to you in life. Surviving a tumultous five years at the University of Arizona, the poised and focused Bell never lost site of his goals.

The turmoil included a bizarre reign by his head coach, John Mackovic, that resulted in a players' revolt midway through Bell's second season in 2002. According to an ESPN.com report, more than a dozen Arizona players were seeing the campus psychiatrist to help deal with Mackovic's behavior. He was fired midway through the 2003 season and defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz was named the interim head coach. At the beginning of Bell's junior year, former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops took the reigns and began the slow process of rebuilding a football program that was reeling from the loss of talented players who had thrown up their arms and walked away.

"It would have been easy to just quit, but staying there and finishing and ending on a good note was a really big accomplishment for me." said Bell. "A lot of people dropped out. I know we started with 27 people and only four of us were able to stay with all the coaching changes and the turmoil that went on at our school."

Bell's one of the great values in this draft -- a player who is undoubtedly going to make an impact at the NFL level. He's not drawing quite the same amount of attention as some of the other marquee backs at the moment, but that's primarily because of the impact that all the changes Arizona's football program went through during his collegiate career. That impacted continuity, including on the offensive line that Bell had to count on to help open some holes for him as he shouldered an increasing workload for the team.

Fortunately for Bell, when his blockers didn't get the job done, he had the vision and mental quickness to recognize it early -- and an uncanny ability to adjust on the fly. His former running backs coach, Kasey Dunn, once said, “Mike can make someone miss in a phone booth.”

Bell shows the same mental quickness and poise when speaking in front of the cameras and the media, handling a wide variety of questions with a nice sense of humor and thoughtful responses.

"I was raised properly, and my parents taught me how to speak well in front of people," he explained. "I learned a lot in school, I took a lot of communications courses, so I think that helped out."

And his teammates recognized that Bell was a special individual that they could count on as a leader. So much so that they voted him team captain for both his junior and senior year campaigns.

"I think a lot of it had to do with my work ethic and my commitment to the program. Me being down there five summers -- including the one just out of high school -- people realized that I was just there to get the job done. A lot of my teammates trusted me, and my point of being there was to play well and help the people around me to play well. And I tried to bring that to the field every day in practice and during the game," he said.

In addition to Bell's great vision on the field as a running back, he provides a complete, balanced skill set to prospective NFL employers. Despite the difficult times he had at Arizona while the team dealt with so many changes, his overall experience provides him with an edge in landing a job with a team that needs a highly versatile back.

"I had the opportunity to be in an offense that gave me the opportunity to do everything. I was able to catch some balls, do some blocking, and ran the ball. So my ability to everything (at the NFL level) would let me stay in the game throughout the entire game," he explained.

And Bell's durability will be another major selling point as teams evaluate him and position him on their draft boards. Despite being counted on to get the tough, inside yards where bruises, sprains and more serious injuries are just part of the job, Bell emerged unscathed.

"I was able to come out of Arizona without any serious injuries, that was a major blessing," he said.

According to the NCAA, Bell finished his career at Arizona with 3,157 yards rushing (4.7 yard-average) and 17 touchdowns. He also caught 56 passes for 469 yards and a touchdown. Bell rushed for over 150 yards twice during his senior year and had eleven 100-plus yard rushing games during his career at Arizona.

[Steve Sewell]

Monday, July 31, 2006

Haven Marceau @ 4:34 am

SoCAls link: http://broncos.mostvaluablenetwork.com/

It is an age old edict; You should never underestimate the power of a man fighting for his homeland.


As Mike Bell entered the 2006 NFL Draft he implied to possible suitors that he would rather not be drafted. It’s difficult to understand that approach, because as far as I can tell there is no precedent for it anywhere in the league. Sure, there was John Elway telling the Colts that he didn’t want them to draft him, and there was Eli Manning taking the same approach with the San Diego Chargers. But in both of those cases we were talking about the number one overall pick in the draft. When you’re the consensus #1 player coming out of college you can afford to tell a team or two you’d rather they not draft you. But not when you’re on the bubble of getting drafted at all.

That was the reality for Mike Bell, a solid, but not overwhelming running back entering the NFL draft after playing out his college career with the Arizona Wildcats. So what would prompt a player in such a situation to tell interested teams that he would rather the team not draft him? Home. You see Mike Bell fancies himself a Denver Native. He was raised in the Denver area before moving to Arizona to attend High School, and he has been a Broncos fan since those early days. He so badly wanted to return to Denver and play for the Broncos that he was willing to go undrafted in order to have the ability to sign with Denver as a free agent. That’s just what he did.

It would be an interesting enough story if that were the end of it, but Bell’s play throughout the first days of Broncos’ training camp are starting to suggest that the story may just be beginning. In camp it’s a little tough to get a clear picture of the running backs because there isn’t real tackling going on, and the defense has a pretty good idea when a running play is coming. The fog will begin to lift on the running back situation once the pre-season games begin. One thing that is clear, however, is that Mike Bell is more than just a feel good story.

By many accounts Mike Bell has looked more explosive than both Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne. Bell has already moved up to third on the depth chart ahead of Cedric Cobbs, who is turning out to be rather disappointing. But Mike Bell has earned that #3 spot with how he has performed thus far, and if the two incumbents aren’t careful Mike isn’t going to be stopping at #3.

At 6’1” and 220 pounds, Mike Bell has nice size for a running back. He has great feet and very good vision that he has used to make some nice cutbacks during practices. He has been explosive coming off the ball and finding gaps in the defense. The one knock on Bell is that he lacks the breakaway speed of a Clinton Portis or Tatum Bell, but so did Terrell Davis and he managed to do okay.

When it comes to the starting position Mike Bell does make an interesting case. I don’t think Mike Shanahan is a huge fan of the running back by committee situation he was in last year with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell. I think he would much prefer a feature back like the Broncos had during the Super Bowl years. Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne each have their weaknesses when it comes to being a feature back. Tatum doesn’t pound out many tough yards and he leaves a lot to be desired when he’s called on to pass protect. Dayne I lacking explosiveness and he doesn’t have the speed to get to the outside.

Mike Bell, interestingly enough, almost seems like a combination of Ron and Tatum. He’s faster and more explosive than Ron Dayne and has the ability to get to the outside and make people miss in the open field. He’s more powerful than Tatum Bell which allows him to pick up more tough yards between the tackles, and also helps him in pass protection.

Mike Bell is still the dark horse in the race for the Broncos starting tailback position, but if he continues to improve on the groundwork that he’s already laid he’ll certainly be in the mix. It may come down to whether the coaching staff feels that two heads are better than one. If they do, then Tatum and Ron are a shoe in to get the bulk of the carries. But if Shanahan and CO. would rather a back that is a little bit of everything, Denver may have their next 1,000 yard rusher from nowhere in Mike Bell. One thing is for certain; Mike Bell will fight like a man on fire to stick in Denver, his homeland.

As a Denver native, it was my dream and the dream of many of my friends to grow up and play for the Denver Broncos. I'm so happy for Mr. Bell, he's living a dream that probably a majority of us on this board have, especially if you grew up as a Bronco fan from birth.

[Steve Sewell]

At 6’1” and 220 pounds, Mike Bell has nice size for a running back. He has great feet and very good vision that he has used to make some nice cutbacks during practices. He has been explosive coming off the ball and finding gaps in the defense. The one knock on Bell is that he lacks the breakaway speed of a Clinton Portis or Tatum Bell, but so did Terrell Davis and he managed to do okay.


This is a great comparison. This description almost perfectly fits the qualities that made TD great. I just checked TD's measurables, and he was 5'11" 210...maybe M. Bell is just a bigger version.

Also, I was thinking about it, and this is the 3rd "Bell" the Broncos have had at running back. Anyone remember Ken Bell?

[Steve Sewell]

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/71467108.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193875DCB1DD8387ABB1B7A3DC13457A3B5

Shave the head and slap a 3 where the 2 is and he'd be a dead ringer for TD...

[BlitzingDog]

I chat with Mike Bell, and after the draft he told me he was praying once Denver ran out of picks that nobody else would take him, he got a call from the Buccaneers late in the draft and was thinking please dont draft me. He wanted to sign with Denver. He may also change to #23 if Middlebrooks is cut, I suggested 23 to him for whatever reason and it kinda tripped him, but who knows if 20 aint broke why fix it :)

[Atlas]

Shave the head and slap a 3 where the 2 is and he'd be a dead ringer for TD...


Maybe sitting on a bench but Bell is 220lbs isn't he??? TD's playing weight was 208lbs.

[NYBronc]

This is a great comparison. This description almost perfectly fits the qualities that made TD great. I just checked TD's measurables, and he was 5'11" 210...maybe M. Bell is just a bigger version.

Also, I was thinking about it, and this is the 3rd "Bell" the Broncos have had at running back. Anyone remember Ken Bell?

Actually it may be the fourth. Going way back to 1960 Henry Bell was an HB.

#20 as well. :~ohyah!:

[shakenbake]

He seems really well spoken. I saw an interview with him a few days back on www.cbs4denver.com Its always nice to hear well spoken guys. Sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders.

[0SE7EN]

I'm pulling for Mike Bell to get the spot. Something just doesn't sit right with Ron Dayne or Tatum Bell being featured. Tatum is a home run hitter, but I just don't see him ever being an every down back. He's a good change of pace guy, much like a kevin faulk is to Corey Dillon. I don't see Dayne being an every down back either. Denver really needs to find a guy who can take 28-30 carries a game and only come out when he's winded. Mike Bell seems determined and looks to have a great balance of speed, size and power. We haven't seen that since Anderson was a rookie and TD was in pads.

I live in Arizona, and the sports talk radio here was talking about Mike Bell after the draft, going to Denver as an undrafted FA. They said that he could have been drafted higher if he were in a different football program, but since UofA is not very good, he was overlooked. But the guys on the Radio here said "Well, he went to Denver, so that means he'll be a 1,000 yard rusher...Seems every RB that plays in Denver becomes a 1,000 yd rusher"

Needless to say, the locals here were pretty happy to see him get a shot on a team that knows how to run the ball and find those diamonds in the rough.

Good luck Mike!

[Charlie Hu$tle]

Mike Bell is a great guy, he's a regular at the KFC I work at. I always hook him and Powers-Neal up.

[zdoor]

There was an article on him before the draft in the Post. I'm rooting for the guy. Awesome story. Someone needs to step up. RBBC sucks.

[zdoor]

There was an article on him before the draft in the Post. I'm rooting for the guy. Awesome story. Someone needs to step up. RBBC sucks.

[KipCorrington25]

I'm psyched to see this kid play, can next Firday get here fast enough?

[Hotrod]

Is it me or are there just a **** load of new posters lately?

[Odysseus]

Is it me or are there just a **** load of new posters lately?

Dude. You have 11,000 posts. EVERYBODY is new to you! ;)

[kingpants]

Is it me or are there just a **** load of new posters lately?
Naw...Its just you.

[Atlas]

Here is another really good blip on Bell. He is definately getting noticed.

Publish Date: 7/31/2006


SoCals link: http://www.longmontfyi.com/sports-story.asp?id=9069


Broncos may have unearthed an unheralded RB

By Bill Wilson
The Daily Times-Call

ENGLEWOOD — By the time the late rounds arrived last spring, Mike Bell no longer wanted to be drafted.

After surviving the disappointment of two days without hearing his name called on television, the Arizona running back decided his best chance at

an NFL career was with the Denver Broncos. And that couldn’t

happen if another team took him.

“I’m in the best situation I can be in,” said Bell, who signed with Denver as a free agent shortly after the draft ended. “I’m with one of the best teams in the NFL with one of the best running offenses in the NFL. You can’t ask for much more.”

For how quiet Bell kept on draft day, he’s making a lot of noise so far in training camp. He’s not only roused the crowds at Dove Valley with his quick feet and shifty style, he’s worked his way into the good graces of head coach Mike Shanahan.

“Mike’s having a heck of a camp. He really has stepped up and has been very impressive,” Shanahan said. “A lot of players see him making plays that they haven’t seen for awhile.

“He’s right in the mix.”

Bell still has plenty of players to overcome before he can make the roster, let alone play on Sundays, but the tailback position in Denver is far from impenetrable.

Running back Ron Dayne, all but forgotten by the New York Giants two seasons ago, is the current frontrunner with the flashy but unproven Tatum Bell at No. 2.

The depth thins from there, with Mike Bell, fellow rookie Cedric Cobbs and fullback Cecil Sapp battling for the No. 3 spot.

“With running backs, you really can’t tell until you put the players in live situations and get them a lot of reps,” Shanahan said. “Everybody’s getting some work.”

And for Bell, who learned on draft day that fit trumps glory, work is all he’s asking for.

Chain mover: Jay Cutler’s third day of practice with the Broncos was perhaps his best with the team so far.

The rookie quarterback’s biggest moment came during 11-on-11 drills in the morning session Sunday. Cutler led the third-team offense on a scoring drive, culminating with a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brian Clark.

The drive’s highlight came when Cutler was flushed from the pocket, scrambled to his right, then stepped up and fired a rocket to receiver Todd Devoe.

“He made a couple of plays in that situation, which is good to see,” Shanahan said. “It’s always nice to put quarterbacks in situations where you see how they’re going to react during a game, and I thought he did a pretty good job for the first time.”

After spending most of his time trying to digest the team’s offense, Cutler said the drill was a nice break.

“I was able to just drop back, have some fun and play football,” he said. “A lot of it was just reacting.”

Meadows in the mix: The Broncos signing of veteran offensive lineman Tim Meadows on Saturday could have an immediate impact on the team.

Shanahan said Meadows, expected to join the team after today’s practices, will be expected to push starter George Foster at right tackle.

“He has starting ability,” Shanahan said. “If he’s healthy, he’s been a difference maker.”

Meadows has been out of the NFL since 2004, but hasn’t played since the 2003 season due to a shoulder injury. A second-round draft pick, he started every game for the Indianapolis Colts during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

The Broncos added Meadows without cutting anyone from their roster. Because receiver Ashley Lelie is holding out in the attempt to force a trade, Denver put him on the did-not-report list, freeing up a roster spot.

.

[Rascal]

Sounds like the coaches are not happy with Foster's play recently. Like I've said I always thought he was pedestrian in his approach to teh game and never had any determination. If he had that with his size he would be unstoppable.

[Dukes]

I just realized something. Considering his love for the Broncos, it may not be to far fetched to suggest if he becomes our feature RB that he won't pull a Portis and split town for a big $. He seems like a character guy who will want to stay a Bronco for the better portion of his career. I know i'm not alone when I hate seeing playmakers (Hayward, Berry) leave town to fill their pockets.

[orange crusher]

I'm still not sold on Dayne being the starter. I think he would be more effective coming off the bench. Tatum has the home run ability but I'm more of a fan of the guy that's going to get the tough yards and always keeps pushing forward. Mike Bell seems to have a real shot at being the starter in St. Louis. Hopefully his early camp performance will translate into a successful preseason and beyond.

[Atlas]

Rookie back no Clarett

SoCals Link:http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4118892

No. 20 is making an impact in the Broncos' mix at running back.

But it's a year later than expected.
Undrafted rookie Mike Bell has been one of the most impressive youngsters early in training camp. Bell, who grew up a Broncos fan while living in Denver, wears jersey No. 20 - just as third-round flameout Maurice Clarett did last year. Like Clarett, Bell is represented by agents Josh Luchs and Steve Feldman. That's where the Clarett comparisons end.

Unlike Clarett, who ruined his pro chances by nursing a minor groin injury and not talking to his teammates, Bell has been eager for action and impressive on and off the field. He is making a strong push to make the team he grew up following.

[orange crusher]

Rookie back no Clarett

This is certainly good news! :rofl:

[i4jelway7]

Umm.. let the record show I was one of the first on the M. Bell bandwagon,
I called Mike Bell as the future RB for the Broncos in june

http://www.orangemane.com/BB/showthread.php?t=42983

Can I get some adpotion papers please?

[Atlas]

Here is a cool photo of BVP and M. Bell

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060730/capt.1fb19b6ce08241e687fcbea17f2884a4.broncos_van_ pelt_football_cojd102.jpg

[Broncos4Life]

I'm pulling for Mike Bell to get the spot. Something just doesn't sit right with Ron Dayne or Tatum Bell being featured. Tatum is a home run hitter, but I just don't see him ever being an every down back. He's a good change of pace guy, much like a kevin faulk is to Corey Dillon. I don't see Dayne being an every down back either. Denver really needs to find a guy who can take 28-30 carries a game and only come out when he's winded. Mike Bell seems determined and looks to have a great balance of speed, size and power. We haven't seen that since Anderson was a rookie and TD was in pads.

I live in Arizona, and the sports talk radio here was talking about Mike Bell after the draft, going to Denver as an undrafted FA. They said that he could have been drafted higher if he were in a different football program, but since UofA is not very good, he was overlooked. But the guys on the Radio here said "Well, he went to Denver, so that means he'll be a 1,000 yard rusher...Seems every RB that plays in Denver becomes a 1,000 yd rusher"

Needless to say, the locals here were pretty happy to see him get a shot on a team that knows how to run the ball and find those diamonds in the rough.

Good luck Mike!

I can't wait to see what this guy can do in the preseason. I'll be in Glendale for the AZ game on the 31st. I have a real good feeling about this guy.