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When Michael Pittman signed with the Broncos yesterday, I was a bit surprised. Travis Henry has been slowed by a hamstring injury during offseason workouts but I expected him and Selvin Young to do a good job as the Bronco tailbacks this season. Pittman's a good back but, if all went according to plan, he'd have a hard time getting on the field. You'd think some team would have more opportunities for him.

Today I'm really bumfuzzled about what Pittman was thinking. There's all the above and then there's the fact that Young is planning to run for 2,000 yards this season.

"The key to that to me is staying healthy. Everything else, I believe in wholeheartedly. It's not like I said something to try to get a laugh or to smile or to get people to pay attention to me. It's something I believe is in me."

Staying healthy isn't the only key. He'll need to beat out Henry and Pittman for the starting job, for one thing. He'll need to run the ball 250-odd more times than he did last season. He'll have to add that workload without sacrificing any of the 5.2 yards he gained per rush. And on top of it all, he'll need a rookie tackle and two guys who missed all or most of 2007 to have All-Pro seasons blocking for him.

Long odds but the good news is even 1,000 yards from Young would be a boon to their offense.