30 Questions for 2016: Who will challenge Ronnie Hillman for RB2?

In the 30 days leading up to the start of Denver Broncos Training Camp 2016, we’re examining 30 big questions for the season. We’ll make a case for each answer; you’ll vote and tell Broncos Country what’s going to happen this year.

The Denver Broncos have made it clear who will be their starting running back come September. Just when it seemed like the Dolphins were about to steal running back C.J. Anderson, Denver matched Miami’s offer with a four-year, $18 million offer of their own.

Anderson has the starting running back position all but locked up. Fourth-year running back Ronnie Hillman will slide into the second running back spot, but the Broncos have plenty of viable options if they decide to exercise the very real possibility of cut him to save some money and pay their big-name defensive players.

The Broncos signed Hillman to a one-year, $2 million deal this past offseason which indicates that they’re not totally sold on what he’s done despite leading the Broncos in rushing yards, attempts and touchdowns in 2015. His dead cap hit is just $500,000 should they release him.

Hillman proved last year he can be the home run hitter the Broncos drafted him to be, but he continued to show signs of the back who doesn’t finish plays and has a penchant for turnovers. If the Broncos do decide to head in a different direction, they have several options to do so.

Here are a few players that could challenge Ronnie Hillman for the No. 2 spot.

Kapri Bibbs is entering his third year in the NFL and with the Broncos after going undrafted out of Colorado State. Bibbs has seen limited time on the active roster in his two years on the Broncos, but has found a way to stay on the team. Bibbs has shown that he can make plays with the ball in his hands. In his one year at CSU, Bibbs broke the Rams’ single-season reecord for rushing yards, touchdowns and total touchdowns with 31. His 31 touchdowns were enough to tie former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds atop the NCAA leaderboard for that season. Many critics believed Bibbs left college too early. With a two more years to develop and learn the pro game, Bibbs could find his stride in his third season with the Broncos and head coach Gary Kubiak’s offense.

The Broncos selected Devontae Booker in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and without even touching the football he managed to make headlines. Not long after he was drafted, he made it clear to the world that he was coming for someone’s job. While most rookies just try to blend in, Booker made his intentions crystal clear. If Booker comes through on his word he could turn out to be one of the biggest steals of the draft and the Broncos second-string running back.

Cyrus Gray spent three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and didn’t see much action in the Chiefs backfield. Gray brings some experience to the table, and while he didn’t play at all in 2015, a change of scenery and Kubiak’s run-oriented offense may do Gray some good. If he has a solid camp he could make a serious push for the second spot.

Juwan Thompson saw his carries decline significantly in 2015, his second year in the NFL and on the Broncos. In his first year under Kubiak, Thompson was both a fullback and a tailback. Now that the Broncos drafted Andy Janovich, a fullback out of Nebraska, Thompson can focus soley on being a tailback. He’s shown flashes of handling the backup duties in the past, and his size is an advantage. With the fullback duties off his plate, Thompson has the potential to lock up the second spot.

What does Broncos Country think? Who will challenge Ronnie Hillman for the second running back spot?