Denver Broncos

Broncos sign veteran RB Jamaal Charles reportedly to one-year deal

Published May. 2, 2017 7:06 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

Jamaal Charles sat relatively idle on the free-agent market for more than two months while watching guys like Adrian Peterson, Eddie Lacy and Latavius Murray sign contracts with new teams. His waiting came to an end Tuesday, though, as he signed with the Denver Broncos.

https://twitter.com/johnelway/status/859520701098799105

The deal is reportedly for one year.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/859518726798004226

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"I always wanted to play for Denver," Charles told reporters Tuesday. "Growing up, John Elway was one of my favorite players."

The team said the veteran back will wear No. 28.

https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/859544492722061314

Charles suffered a torn ACL in 2015, and the lingering effects clearly hindered him greatly last season. He played just three games, rushing for 40 yards on 17 carries. The previous year, he only played five games but was much more effective, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

The main concern with Charles, of course, is his durability. At 30 years old, he’s no longer a young buck, which is a worry in its own right. If he is healthy, though, he can be a playmaker in Denver.

C.J. Anderson hasn’t been able to stay healthy or play at a high level consistently, and Devontae Booker isn’t a lock to be a reliable starter in the NFL. Charles can be a solid third-down back, someone who can change the pace offensively when Denver needs a spark.

It's worth noting that Charles has more career rushing yards against the Broncos than any other team in the NFL, having played in the AFC West his entire career.

https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/859495653931499520