Denver Broncos running back Jamaal Charles was, until recently, one of the most dynamic running backs the NFL has seen since Barry Sanders. The past two seasons have been anything but amazing for Charles, however, as he’s battled through knee injuries that appeared to potentially threaten his career.
Not surprisingly, the Kansas City Chiefs released Charles early this offseason as they look to the future. Now with a fresh start on a new team, Charles says he’s feeling normal once again.
“I am doing everything. I have been cutting the last couple of days with the guys during the offseason workouts,” Charles told Troy Renck of KMGH-TV in Denver. “I feel like the way I am cutting that I am back to the normal me, man. It feels good to be moving around again. I have been knowing this the whole offseason [that the knee was fine]. Nobody can take nothing away from me except God when my time is up. I am still 30 years old. I still have a lot of special stuff to do.”
Not long ago, one report indicated Charles has a 50-50 chance to earn a roster spot this summer, so he’s clearly not out of the woods yet.
That Charles is cutting laterally once again and not suffering any ill effects to this point is very encouraging. However, Broncos fans shouldn’t count their chickens before the eggs hatch in this case. Charles still needs to prove he can stay healthy throughout training camp.
“When people say you can’t do something, you want to prove them wrong. That’s always been on my mind since I signed with the Broncos,” Charles said. “… I like proving people wrong. It keeps the fire going, it keeps the spark going. I am excited about just getting back to where I was before.”
If he does stay healthy, then it will be interesting to see if Charles can beat out C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker for the starting spot. And if he can do that, then the Broncos could end up featuring one of the NFL’s best backfields.
There are a bunch of ifs that need to be resolved. But right now, things are looking up for Charles and the Broncos.