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Bell hop: Game in home state has back excited

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 31, 2006 at midnight

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ENGLEWOOD - For many of the Broncos, tonight's preseason game at Cardinals Stadium is a necessary evil, to be viewed wearing a baseball cap and a clean uniform.

Not so for running back Mike Bell.

"I'm super excited to play there," Bell said. "Just super excited. Just another thing I didn't think would happen."

Bell was born in Phoenix and was the Arizona player of the year as a senior at Tolleson Union High School. He rushed for 4,632 yards in his career at the school, second-highest total in the state's prep history, and was a coveted recruit for the University of Arizona.

Tonight's game will be the second one played in the new $455 million stadium, which will host the Super Bowl after the 2007 season.

"I have some people coming, my immediate family, and I have a lot of friends coming, too," Bell said. "Hopefully, I'll get to see them a little bit."

At the moment, Bell sits, somewhat precariously, at the top of the Broncos depth chart at running back. The undrafted rookie has taken most of the repetitions during practice with the starters - Tatum Bell has had some as well - but Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said all the team's running backs likely will play tonight and that he has yet to make up his mind who will start the Sept. 10 regular-season opener in St. Louis.

Shanahan has said tonight's game could have some bearing on how that shakes down.

So, all in all, it makes for an exciting evening for Bell.

"I never, in a million years, thought I'd be coming back this way," Bell said. "To be playing for a team like the Broncos, in the NFL, in my hometown, you just don't think something like that is going to happen. I still have to play, still have to perform, but it's exciting to think about."

Bell is the team's second-leading rusher in the preseason with 113 yards on 26 carries.

MAYBE NEXT TIME: Broncos owner Pat Bowlen had said he hoped to be part of the league's first game to be played in China, but the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots have been tabbed to play in Beijing in August 2007.

But Bowlen said the NFL's original plan also called for a game in Shanghai to be played in August 2008 and that there still is potential for the Broncos to be part of that.

"The second game will be in Shanghai, at least that's been the plan," Bowlen said. "We don't have to think about that for a year. And I'm sure it'll depend on what the best matchup they could put over there."

ON THE WAY: The Broncos had a short - about one hour - practice before leaving for Arizona on Wednesday. Defensive tackle Gerard Warren and receiver Brandon Marshall once again practiced.

Both had missed a significant part of the preseason, Warren because of a left toe injury and Marshall because of a right knee injury, before returning to the field Tuesday.

Shanahan said Warren would not play and there was only "a chance" Marshall would.

ETC.: The Cardinals are expected to play their starters about one quarter. The Broncos regulars, except for the rotation at running back, will get the night off . . . Running back Damien Nash, who has not practiced since playing against the Titans on Aug. 19, did not practice. Nash tore his right anterior cruciate ligament while with Coffeyville (Kan.) Junior College in 2002 and had some swelling in the knee after the game against the Titans . . . NFL rosters must be trimmed to 53 players by 4 p.m. MDT Saturday, but the Broncos are expected to make their cuts Friday.