Broncos give rookie running back Montee Ball his shot

Lindsay H. Jones | USA TODAY Sports

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Montee Ball is getting his shot.

The rookie running back received the bulk of the Denver Broncos' first-team repetitions in Monday's practice, two days after starter Ronnie Hillman lost his second fumble of the preseason.

Ball acknowledged that his first-team workload increased, but said he believed he had earned the snaps — not that Hillman had lost them.

Ball is the Broncos' preseason rushing leader, with 80 yards on 25 carries, and he scored his first touchdown Saturday against the St. Louis Rams. More important, perhaps, is that Ball showed improvement in pass protection after missing a key block in a Week 2 preseason game at Seattle.

When Ball whiffed on Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, Peyton Manning ended up flat on his back.

"I knew the guy was blitzing, I ran up there aggressively, but (had) poor technique," Ball said. "It's the worst feeling as a rookie, seeing a future Hall of Famer getting hit like that. That's not a good thing at all. I most definitely got chewed out about it and I couldn't say a word."

Coach John Fox told reporters after Monday's practice not to "read too much into anything," about the amount of work for Ball and Hillman as indications of a change to the depth chart.

"(Ball)'s a guy that we want to get some touches, so we'll go from there," Fox said. "Whoever we keep we're going to lean on, and will play, and I think our track record says that."

The Broncos will use a committee of running backs this season, much like they have the past several seasons, but Hillman had been trying to earn the spot as an every-down running back, rather than the third-down role he had last season as a rookie. Hillman has been atop the Broncos' depth chart since offseason practices began in April.

Hillman has run well at times in the preseason — 77 yards on 22 carries, with a long run of 16 yards — but the fumbling issues are what has put is job in jeopardy. He had fumbles returned for touchdowns in each of the Broncos' past two preseason games. Hillman lost the first fumble, against the Seahawks, when it popped loose while he tried to leap over a pile at the goal line. On Saturday against the Rams, he had the ball ripped from his arms by linebacker Alec Olgetree deep in Broncos' territory.

Fox has said he hasn't lost confidence in Hillman, but Hillman's ball security issues could provide the opening Ball, or even former first-round pick Knowshon Moreno, need to grab the starting spot.

Moreno, still third on the Broncos' depth chart, is the Broncos' most dependable back in pass protection, and could see his role increase if Hillman and Ball struggle.

"That's all it takes is one mistake for the guy behind you to step up," Ball said. "In our running back room, we have healthy competition, and every player is right behind the other. By us having that competition, makes the team better and keeps all of us on our toes to do the right thing."