Torain breaks elbow, out 6 to 8 weeks
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 6, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.
ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos might have lost their starting running back Wednesday.
It will never be known whether a broken left elbow prevented rookie Ryan Torain from achieving that designation but it was clear he was on the right path before the injury during a 9-on-7 running drill.
Torain will miss at least 6-8 weeks.
“He’s one of the most gifted running backs I’ve been around, and I’ve been around for a long time, very similar to Terrell Davis when he came in,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said, adding he believed Torain had a chance to be the No. 1 tailback. “It’s a setback he has to deal with.”
Torain took a pitch to the right during the morning practice and, with three defenders in pursuit, might have tripped on the leg of tight end Tony Scheffler, who had been knocked to his knees.
The fifth-round pick from Arizona State attempted to brace his fall, and his entire body weight landed on his outstretched arm.
It first appeared Torain might have also sustained a concussion — he collapsed while being helped by Broncos medical personnel — then had his neck checked and a cool towel draped around him. But that might have been a byproduct of the pain he was experiencing, because he later rose to his feet to get onto the cart that drove him off the field.
The injury is to the radius in the upper part of Torain’s left elbow. The rookie underwent a magnetic resonance imaging exam, and if there’s substantial ligament damage, his absence could be substantially longer than the 6-8-week timetable.
“It’s going to be tough because we really need him,” said running back Andre Hall, who also has been pushing current starter Selvin Young. “He could have been the guy, if not ‘the guy’ he could have been somebody, making big plays when we needed it, the third-and-3s or the goal-line guy that’s going to put the ball in. ... That’s how I felt. And I know the coaches did, too. The defense liked him, and if the defense likes a guy, that’s saying something good.”
The Broncos moved Michael Pittman from fullback, where he had been helping out in the absence of rookie Peyton Hillis (hamstring). But after Pittman darted downfield after a short pass late in practice, his left hamstring tightened and he missed the rest of practice. Besides Young and Hall, rookie Anthony Alridge has gotten extended snaps in camp at halfback and shown excellent burst and open-field moves.
“We’re going to have a lot of competition out there even with Ryan out,” Scheffler predicted.
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August 6, 2008
10:14 a.m.
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sbhchawk writes:
so much for everyone's sleeper. Get well kid. Heal up and know Denver fans are rooting for you.
Is it wrong to also say that I like the fact that our LB's are hitting people this year, even in practice? Really only remember Lynch laying the lumber last year. Second time this year I've liked something about our new d- first being Robertson at no charge and a huge discount from his Jets salary.
August 6, 2008
12:28 p.m.
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bigbadthor writes:
Dang I had the same injury when I was 12, that hurts worse than anything, I am guessing he will be out the year, took me a year to get full motion in my arm, problem is your elbow builds up more bone and you have to wear the bone away to be able to move it fully. I thought he would end up being the starter. Good luck to Torain in rehab, hope Young and Hall are up for the task.
August 6, 2008
3:52 p.m.
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kerrdawg writes:
He's a running back. He doesn't need full motion in his elbow to play. As soon as it heals enough that they can remove the cast, he'll be back on the practice field.
August 6, 2008
4:03 p.m.
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bigbadthor writes:
kerrdawg, I don't think you understand, you have to hold onto the ball, the ball goes in where your elbow is, and you need to be able to use your arms to block and catch, if he has no strength or motion in his arm (and he won't) then he can't play. Plus you get a cast that imobilizes your whole arm (usually straped to your stomach), so trying to run and stay in shape is impossible, a little hard to try to run when you can't move your arm. So trust me, he is out for the season, it's not like his forearm or something that he can at least run with.
August 6, 2008
4:44 p.m.
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arvada_mark writes:
Nooooooo! He was going to be our 2nd back. His size...we're going to miss that. We missed that last year when Henry was sitting out for whatever his major malfunction was. Well, see you next year, Torain. This is horrible news. I need a drink.
August 6, 2008
4:48 p.m.
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freddyfender writes:
I guess this is why shanny got so ticked off the other day at hamza when he tackled a guy during drills. It sure bites Big Time to loose a guy with so much upside (big, strong, fast) before the season even starts!!
August 6, 2008
5:32 p.m.
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Dynamicdave writes:
It was a blow, but we have other backs who can shine. Put it this way, they have to. Torain sure has had some bad luck, going back to his college days. Heal and we hope to see you on the field again, as soon as possible, or within reason. Hall can get the job done and it's time for Alridge to step up and make his presence known.
August 6, 2008
6:17 p.m.
Vector049 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
August 6, 2008
6:19 p.m.
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Dynamicdave writes:
Vector049, you sure lack class when you wish injury upon ANY player in the NFL. Grow up.
August 6, 2008
6:38 p.m.
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Pigskin writes:
This isn't a minor setback to the offense. Torain represented the best shot at a full-time, "bell-cow" back.
Neither Hall nor Alridge is a move-the-chains type.
(Dynamicdave, please pay no further mind to the idiot.)
August 6, 2008
6:43 p.m.
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Dynamicdave writes:
Pigskin, I try not to, but the same "mental midget', showed up on the Cutler article also just to spout off heartless nonsense. Wait and see how he likes it when he is injured or ill and nobody cares. Or he spouts off like that in public, say a bar and somebody straightens him out. Anyways, I think we can move Pittman back to RB instead of FB and he can pound the short yardage and goal line plays. Maybe.
August 6, 2008
11:36 p.m.
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angryman1n writes:
GIMP!!! A brief list of his injuries:
- ankle, four games his sophmore year
- toe, entire senior season
- elbow, ?????? career ???????
Dude needs to drink more milk.
August 7, 2008
10:25 a.m.
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kmeissner writes:
I sure hope Pittman can fill the void. Selvin Young will have another great year!
August 7, 2008
8:43 p.m.
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Dynamicdave writes:
kmeissner, I imagine Selvin will be our #1. Hall will be #2 with Pittman to spell him (providing they move him from FB). Sapp and Hillis as the FB's. And never forget Alridge. It's too early, I think, to guess on who will start, etc.. We can all but debate and wait for regular season. It sure will keep the others teams guessing, though.
August 13, 2008
12:19 p.m.
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JRClark writes:
"Neither Hall nor Alridge is a move-the-chains type."
I'm almost certain that 19 yard scrambles move chains... Although Young definitely gets the starting nod, without Marshall on the field for a few games they may need all of their backs to move the chains or risk more injuries... that is unless another receiver steps up.