NFL Player News

Broncos running back C.J. Anderson appeared to be giving it his all in last year's divisional round playoff game against the Colts. 

He ran for 80 tough yards on 18 carries in what ended up being a 24-13 loss. Looking back on it, Anderson is upset at himself that he didn't give more that game. 

"I was watching the playoff game last week and I left a lot out there. I left a lot out there," Anderson told the Broncos' official website. "A lot of people came to me and said, 'You played so hard. You did this.' Man, that was unacceptable. I had 24 touches and I didn't get in the end zone to help my team win."

Anderson will be in a new offensive system this year, which should actually benefit him even more. With Gary Kubiak as Denver's new head coach, the zone running scheme could open up even more lanes for the young runner. 

Anderson finished the 2014 regular season with 849 yards and eight touchdowns, with most of those over the last half of the season when he assumed the starting role. 

"You don't want to be a one-year wonder in this league, not at all," Anderson said. "No one wants to do that. I'm going to keep my head down, keep grinding every day and keep pushing. What happened last year happened last year. That's completely over and done with."

Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur revealed on Wednesday that the team plans to divide the backfield touches between free-agent signees DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews, the Delaware County Daily Times reports.

"They’re two really fine players," Shurmur said at a coaches availability. "They’re two guys that have been starters in places that they’ve been and they’re going to come here and kind of share the role. I think that’s terrific that that’s their mindset. It shows us that you’ve got really, really fine players that understand it’s important to be a good teammate. Any time you can add good players to a unit you make yourself better because you need more than one to play the year."

Murray signed a five-year, $40-million contract after a breakthrough season with the Cowboys in 2014. Mathews, a former first-round pick, signed a three-year, $11-million deal after being plagued by injuries in 2014.

"As time’s gone on I think at running back, I really believe it takes a village," Shurmur said. "If you play the season you need one, two, three and maybe four guys. They’re a key part of what we do offensively. So to have a group that we feel has improved here in the offseason, now it’s just a matter of getting them all up to speed as quickly as we can so they can master what we’re doing."

Cowboys running back Joseph Randle had a very public back and forth with former teammate DeMarco Murray last week. Randle's coach Jason Garrett wants his guy to stop talking and start doing, per profootballtalk.com.

“We addressed that with Joe really immediately,” Garrett said. “I think sometimes comments like that get taken out of context or they are not really intended the way they come out. I think Joe has great respect for DeMarco as we all do. Joe did a good job with his opportunities. Joe and everyone else on our football team, we have to focus on what we do, not with what we say and I think he understands that. But the biggest thing is you need to focus on doing, not talking.”

Randle said Murray "left a lot of meat on the bone" last year, referring to the NFL's leading rusher giving up on certain runs roo early.

Randle rushed for 343 yards and three touchdowns last season, while Murray led the league with 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Cowboys running back Ryan Williams was not able to participate in Wednesday's OTA session because of swelling in his knee, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Williams has not played in a game since 2012.

Giants new running back Shane Vereen is receiving a surprising amount of work in OTAs as both a ball carrier and pass-catcher.

"So far, so good," he told ESPN. "I'm just trying to keep my feet on the ground and learn everything I can to stay on top of the playbook."

The free agent who signed after helping the Patriots win the Super Bowl is battling Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams for playing time out of the backfield. He has been used in practice as more than just a third-down back. And he has impressed Tom Coughlin.

"He's a vey positive young man who's happy to be here and looks forward to contributing," Coughlin said. "When we brought him in, we thought, 'Here's a guy that catches the ball out of the backfield and would be another obvious weapon that would have to be defended.'"

Vereen racked up 838 yards and five touchdowns combined rushing and receiving a year ago.

Cardinals running back Kerwynn Williams sat out practice Monday with a hamstring injury. Bruce Arians told ESPN that the ailment could keep him sidelined all week.

Williams finally earned a shot last season Arizona, his third team in three years. He rushed for 246 yards and a 4.6 per-carry average.

Buccaneers running back Doug Martin isn't ready for a change of scenery.

Martin, who is entering his fourth year in the league, doesn't want the Bucs' decision to not pick up his fifth-year option to mean he's done in Tampa, per The Tampa Tribune.

“I have my own house here now and I’m just now fixing up the backyard,’’ Martin said. “It’s almost finished, so I would really love to be back here. I love this place.’’

The move not to pick up the option was largely based off finances. Martin was slated to make $5.6 million during the fifth year, which was a hefty price-tag for a guy who has been injury riddled his last two seasons.

“It didn’t surprise me,’’ he said. “And I don’t want to say, you know, ‘Whatever,’ because it’s something that just comes along with the business end of things. It’s part of the game. Besides, if I do everything that’s under my control, everything will fall into place the way I want it to."

Martin has rushed for fewer than 500 yards in consecutive seasons after posting an astounding rookie season, when he rushed for 1,454 and 11 touchdowns.

Eagles running back DeMarco Murray and his former teammate Joseph Randle have an interesting back-and-forth going on, per csnphilly.com.

Randle, who backed up Murray as he lead the NFL in rushing, has recently said Murray "left a lot of meat on the bone" last year. 

Murray rushed for 1,845 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, helping the Cowboys become one of the most potent offenses in the league.

"Hopefully he can taste some of that meat this year," Murray said of his former teammate.“They’re a good team. Hopefully he can get a chance to run behind that line and do some good things. But I’m not worried about it. I didn’t hear about it until now. It’s not a big deal.”

The Cowboys will use a multi-running back system with Randle leading the way. He rushed for 343 yards and three touchdowns as Murray's backup last year.

With the Cowboys just beginning their organized team activities this week, running back Darren McFadden said he just wants to concentrate on becoming familiar with the team, reports the team's official website.

"For me, I'm just going out there grinding," he said. "However the coaches put me out there – whether it's first team or second team. When it comes time for them to make a decision, it's totally up to them. I'm just trying to get that playbook down and take advantage of this opportunity."

McFadden is competing with Joseph Randle to be the first-team running back, and he said he just wants to work hard and not worry about how many repetitions he's receiving with the first team.

"Once you've been in a place so long like Oakland, you can get set in your ways," McFadden said Wednesday, after his second OTA practice with the Cowboys. "Coming out here and being around guys that work so hard, it just brings out the best in you. It's something I look forward to."

With last season's leading rusher no longer on the team, Cowboys running back Joseph Randle said he can replace the 1,845 rushing yards DeMarco Murray produced last season, reports The Dallas Morning News.

"He had a good year last year, and I got to sit back and watch a lot," Randle said, "and I felt like there was a lot of meat left on the bone."

Randle did get first-team reps during Wednesday's OTA session and he said he's ready to handle a heavy workload this season.

"I'm going to try to go out there and grind as hard as I can and see which role I end up in," Randle said. "If they ask me to do that, I'm ready for it. And if they believe in me, I believe in myself, that’s for sure."

Randle has been arrested twice in the last year, but he said he's learned from his mistakes.

"Everything you go through in life you learn from it and I learned from it and I've moved past it. I've grown up," Randle said. "I've made some young and silly mistakes, but I'm moving forward."