ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Since the Denver Broncos made running back Ronnie Hillman their third-round pick in the 2012 draft, he has been a curious mix of potential, talent and question marks.
And with the Broncos having installed a far more run-friendly offense for what is a youthful, crowded backfield, Hillman may also now be facing an stern climb to claim a roster spot. Because those final running back spots may be chosen, not by how a player runs with the ball, but by what else he can do when he doesn't have it, including special teams.
Consider what coach Gary Kubiak said this past week when asked how many running backs the team might keep.
"I tell you what, it's a really good group and they're all young -- all of them," Kubiak said. "It'll be interesting. I don't know. I've had three. I've had four. One thing about it, if they're special teams players and stuff, you can always find room for them. You can't keep too many if they're playing on all these special teams and doing other things. We'll see. It'll be a good battle. Special teams will probably separate them when it's all said and done."
At the moment Hillman doesn't appear on special teams nearly as often as many of his peers in the running back meeting room and he hasn't had a significant role on the units in much of his time with the team. He has spent much of the offseason program and training camp as the No. 3 back, behind C.J. Anderson and Montee Ball.
"The depth chart really doesn't matter right now," Hillman said. "Right now, it's just about getting your reps and just taking the reps that you do get. The ones that I do get, you just have to do your best and just play."
During last year's offseason program Hillman had been named the starting back, but did not hold on to the job, and by the time the Broncos went through training camp Ball was No. 1. He was briefly the No. 1 again in the regular season, after Ball suffered what became a season-ending groin injury, including his only career 100-yard game against the New York Jets.
But Hillman suffered a foot injury Nov. 9 against the Oakland Raiders and missed six of the last seven games of the regular season. Anderson powered to 648 rushing yards over the last six regular-season games and when Kubiak was hired as coach in January he was quick to say Anderson had earned the first look as the starter for the new staff.
The order has largely stayed the same thus far so Hillman, like many on the roster, may need to find a way to shake things loose in the preseason games. Juwan Thompson can play both running back and fullback in the offseason to go with a full slate of special teams.
Jeremy Stewart has played in 23 career NFL games, is bigger (at 215 pounds) than Hillman and plays special teams as well. Hillman's big-play speed is a potential difference maker for him, but he has to be reliable as well, especially if he isn't a presence on the team's special teams units.
Hillman arrived, as a 20-year-old, as likely the youngest player on the 2012 draft board and many with the Broncos say he has battled maturity issues along the way. Even now at just 23 he has been with the Broncos, starting his fourth season, longer than any other running back with the team.
"I think Ronnie's playing really good," Kubiak said. "The other day, I talked to him and I told him I thought he could practice a little better, finish a little better. He's responded. … I think the thing I'm most impressed with Ronnie on is I know that when people blitz us, I can leave him on the field. He'll pick up a blitz. He'll stand in there. For his size, (he) reminds me of (Ravens running back) Justin (Forsett) a little bit, who I had in Baltimore and I had in Houston. A little bit the same type of player."
"It's been good competition," Hillman said. "We push each other to be better and that's how we're going to make a great backfield. I feel like I'm doing well. It's definitely a change, but it's definitely going good right now."
