There were six running backs on the Dove Valley practice fields Monday, not the usual seven.
There were two running backs taking turns playing alongside Peyton Manning, none of them named Montee Ball.
Before they headed out from their locker room at team headquarters, the six Broncos running backs knew their leader had fallen ill and had been taken to a local hospital. It was during a seven-on-seven practice drill when the tailbacks learned that Ball was going to have an appendectomy later Monday afternoon.
“It hurts,” said backup C.J. Anderson. “He’s my brother. Me and Montee are the best of friends. May God and the angels be with his doctors.”
Ball’s surgery did go well, and he was telling friends Monday night that he was feeling better. The Broncos were placing his expected recovery time at two weeks.
“I appreciate the get-well wishes everyone!” Ball wrote on his Twitter account before his surgery. “I will be OK and come back stronger than ever!!”
The Broncos say Ball is expected to return by their Sept. 7 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. There is even hope that Ball can take a few tuneup carries during Denver’s third preseason game, Aug. 23 against the Houston Texans.
“It just depends on how sore it is,” said Broncos general manager John Elway. “Montee’s had such a great camp already. He’s a young guy, so he could have used the two weeks. You hate to see it happen to him, but if it had to happen, we’re glad it happened now. We still have plenty of time to get ready for the regular season.”
Two weeks is the usual recovery from an appendectomy for highly trained athletes. Former Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday and pitcher Drew Pomeranz had in-season appendectomies and were back in two weeks. Former Rockies pitcher Rafael Betancourt experienced a more difficult recovery from appendicitis last year, losing 10 pounds and needing four weeks to return.
“They told me I would be out two weeks, but it took longer,” Betancourt said from Grand Junction, where he is rehabbing with a Rockies farm team. “I got weak. I got out of the hospital the next day (after surgery) and I felt fine. Then the second day, I started feeling weird.
“I would tell (Ball) to take it easy that first week. Don’t do anything but rest and try to eat. Eat good food. That first week is very important.”
At this time, the Broncos have no plans to sign a veteran free-agent running back. Anyone who remembers how Elway the quarterback approached the final two minutes of a game with his team trailing knows Elway the executive isn’t about to panic because he lost his starting tailback for a spell.
Adding a veteran would be an assessment that the current group is weak in its understanding of pass protection. Ball, Anderson and Ronnie Hillman have played with Manning long enough to know more about pass protection than many other veteran tailbacks might.
Besides, Hillman and Anderson could use the first-team reps. And the Broncos’ undrafted rookie pool of Juwan Thompson, Kapri Bibbs and Brennan Clay can use some backup playing time.
Hillman and Anderson shared snaps with Manning’s first-team offense Monday. Hillman is expected to be the starting tailback Thursday in the Broncos’ preseason opener against the defending NFL champion Seattle Seahawks at Sports Authority Field.
Nothing like a test against the mighty Seattle defense, even if it’s just for 10 or 12 plays, to find out whether Hillman is ready to assume the No. 1 position.
“I have seen great growth,” Broncos coach John Fox said of Hillman. “I think he’s been a different guy in the meeting rooms … and attacking it the way he did. He is starting to see the benefits of that here on the field.”
Hillman began to lose his grip on the Broncos’ starting tailback job during a preseason game in Seattle last year when he fumbled as he was about to cross the goal line. The fumble was recovered by Seahawks defensive back Brandon Browner and returned for a touchdown. Knowshon Moreno became Denver’s starting tailback.
“Even if it wasn’t Seattle, it’s a way to get out there against somebody that’s not your teammate that’s going as hard as you,” Hillman said. “It will be nice to get out there and play against somebody and just be live.”
Ball has been the Broncos’ starter since the beginning of the offseason. As a backup to Moreno last year, Ball rushed for 559 yards and four touchdowns on 120 carries.
“You hate to see anything happen to a player, whether it’s an illness, injury on or off the field,” Fox said. “Sometimes when a door shuts, another door opens. It will give us a chance to give the young backs some time to get in there, and hopefully they can grow and progress.”
Mike Klis: mklis@denverpost.com or twitter.com/mikeklis
Running to the rescue
With or without Montee Ball, the Broncos have a combined zero NFL starts among their running backs. NFL reporter Mike Klis analyzes the tailbacks behind Ball in training camp:
Ronnie Hillman
Third year, San Diego State
Fared better as a rookie in 2012 (107 carries, 413 yards) than last year (55 carries, 218 yards).
C.J. Anderson
Second year, Cal
A tanklike runner who gained nearly 4,000 yards in high school and 2,800 in college; has 47 yards (including 9 on two mop-up carries at the Super Bowl) in the NFL.
Juwan Thompson
Rookie, Duke
A versatile, rotational back all four years in college. His college coach, David Cutcliffe, is a longtime mentor of Peyton Manning.
Kapri Bibbs
Rookie, Colorado State
The best pure rusher of the rookie group. Needs to show in preseason that he’s a willing pass protector.
Brennan Clay
Rookie, Oklahoma
Had been leading the group of undrafted rookie backs during the offseason, but a strained quad early in camp set him back.
Jerodis Williams
First year, Furman
Went to camp with the Minnesota Vikings last year. Rushed for nearly 3,100 yards in 44 college games.
