
The Broncos on Saturday acquired linebacker Joe Mays from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for running back J.J. Arrington.
Mays, a third-year linebacker out of North Dakota State University, finished the 2009 season with 19 special teams tackles and a forced fumble. He was part of the rotation at middle linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, also contributing seven tackles on defense.
The former sixth-round pick made the first start of his career in a win against the Washington Redskins last season. He chipped in a career-high four tackles and four special teams stops against the Atlanta Falcons the following week.
Arrington, a fifth-year running back, spent the 2009 season out of football after being waived/injured by the Broncos prior to the start of training camp. He re-signed with the team at the start of free agency.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: J.J. Arrington, Joe Mays, Trade

Strange trade to me I thought JJ was going to be 3 on the depth chart
maybe he wasnt 100%. mays looks good though, they needed one more solid mlb to go with DJ, Wes and Mario anyway
Whatever this is about, the end story is that the organization wasted of bunch of time and effort the last two years in retaining JJ, after doing all that the only thing that would make sense is that they didn’t think he was gonna remain healthy. Anyhting else wouldn’t make sense.
What a surprise to hear JJ was shipped out!!!
I was a little surprised by this too, considering all the time and investment the organization had already put into J.J. But it also made sense after reading the article in the DP by Mike Klis. Since Haggan is most likely going to start at ILB on defense this year, having another ILB to replace in on special teams makes sense, and we already have a good enough stable of RBs to be able to afford to trade away J.J. It looks like Kolby Smith may be 3rd on the depth chart at RB now.
why cant we see all the responses
A good enough stable of RB’s???
Moreno
Bucky
Kolby Smith
Bruce Hall
Lance Ball
Tony Baker
I would definitely respectfully disagree with that statement, Moreno hopefully can carry the load this year because Bucky will be missing time here and there and the other 4, well I had to print their full names because not many really know who they are. I do know who they are, but it’s not very impressive resume wise. I have a feeling McD will bring someone else in before long, this just doesn’t look right to me, just my opinion.
Oh, that’s right, I forgot, in McD ‘s scheme the running game is just a diversion, so he may think he is ok with what he got, bets of luck to Orton, LOL, hopefully Clady will be healthy, scaaaarry….
bits of luck, bets of luck, best of luck, haha.
can someone say Brian Westbrook…hhhmmmmmm!!!!
Bay, thanks for the info on the other RB`s. I was not sure. I forgot about Kolby Smith.
This is a strange move but maybe there is more to it. Like maybe the Broncos have a feeling Brian Westbrook gonna be joining the team and be the third down back. You know because why else would you keep somebody this long then just trade him right when he was getting healty?
Maybe Mays can call Westbrook
Haha funny.. We now officially have the best spot for him if the situation works out. Maybe they saw something in the other backs…hmmm. We have seen many unknown backs make it in D-Town maybe shanahan isnt the only one with the brass to pull it off?
if westbrook comes here…. omg!
do we think that will happen? that would blow my mind! wasnt he supposed to make up his mind like 2 months ago haha!
PICK DENVER IN 2010!!!
I live in Philly and I’ve seen Mays play. And I’m not sure that it was a smart trade. (Unless we bring in Westbrook)
It seems as if most agree that this move only makes some kind of sense if we bring another RB in, but there still had to be some question about JJ’s health, otherwise this two year pursuit of him was flat out a waste of time and resources. Trading a nearly no name (Mays) for a guy who shined with the Cardinals in the playoffs on his way to the superbowl just a couple years ago (Arrington) they better have some credible explanation is all I’m saying. So far as things stand, I am not satisfied with this trade at all. They bring in a valuable back and it will all be forgotten, because as things stand, Moreno goes down, and we are all going down the crapper, Bucky cannot carry the load and the other 4 are well…. the other 4.
Glad to see Klis in line with my way of looking at this season, the O line will be what matters most, here is what he says about TC:
The rookies who will have the greatest impact on the 2010 Broncos will be two hefty kids: Zane Beadles and J.D. Walton.
Thomas and Tebow are first-round picks, special players for the future. Beadles and Walton were drafted in the second and third rounds, respectively. They are players for the here and now.
As training camp commences, Beadles will get the first shot to start at left guard, Walton at center.
Can it be done?
That is the million dollar question, that and will our tackles be healthy enough to handle the load year round, it’s all about the O line allright.
As reported by Jeff Legwold, not winning a superbowl is starting to weigh mightily on Bailey’s shoulders and there seem to be a lot of question marks on his mind going into training camp:
“At this point, personally I’ve accomplished a lot of things,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. “What’s frustrating at this point in my career is here we go again to camp, we messed up last season, I can’t go through another season like that where we’re not in the playoffs. That’s all I can ask for, just get in there, give me a chance, give us a chance to win it all. So when I get into camp on a day like (today), I’m always a little worried because I haven’t played in a Super Bowl, and I know how much work it takes. You want to see how good we’re going to be. You want to see if we’re all going to do what it takes.”
And if you wonder why Bailey seems a bit worried about entering TC, check out the article by Lindsay Jones in the DP “2010 Broncos, 10 questions they must answer”, the list is a bit overwhelming I’ll give you that, I’m not concerned about as many things as she is, but it does point back to the fact that’s why Vegas has the line at us winning only seven and a half game this year, because they are so many “ifs” associated with our season. How many “ifs” can we conquer? In a way that’s truly why this TC and season are going to be so interesting to watch, because in all honesty, nobody really knows…. We are just all hoping, and in Vegas they don’t go by hope, they just say show me the money, they’ve done it to me, haha.
Ok, next blog should be the report on our first full team practice at TC, yeah!!!!
Moreno carted off the field?
They said he couldn’t put any weight on his injured leg.
That’s bad news guys.
I agree with Bay. I don’t understand this trade unless they lacked confidence in JJ’s recovery. But Westbrook??? I hope not. He’s SPENT! I sure wouldn’t trust the ball in his hands after having his head knocked off so many times. Past performance is no future guarantee.
Trainers fear torn hammy. Crap.
I read on ESPN that when JJ Arrington signed, it was predetermined that he was going to get traded. They were just looking for the right opportunity. It also said that now that the Broncos are out of a 3rd down running back that they may re-explore the possibility of signing Brian Westbrook. I sure wouldn’t mind that, using him as another change of pace/receiving RB. I’m all for it. Adding youth at a position that could use it and possibly signing a RB that was very explosive just a couple years ago
We just traded arrington and know both are running backs are injured, please tell me i’m dreaming
Random little side note here that i just realized…
from 1976 until 2005 the Broncos were generally considered a contender with 18 double-digit win seasons in 29 seasons. Only 4 times did they have a losing record and the ’82 season was cut short in which they were 2-7. This is a generally successful franchise…GO BRONCOS!!!
Although the last 4 years even out to a 32-32 record. Lets add some more double-digit win seasons and some Super Bowl W’s!!!!!
I thought Westbrook got signed by the Redskins????
No, he has been offered a contract there a month back but he hasn’t signed it, he is still contemplating who to play for that I know.
But he wouldn’t be the man who could carry the load that we need anyway, it would be a third guy with damaged goods the way I see it (Moreno, Bucky, and Westbrook).
Maybe the Broncos are going to sign Brian Westbrook?
Oops, sorry I wrote that with an older version of the page… disregard!
So will we see Westbrook sign this week as a Bronco?
defense was out downfall, cant hurt to get depth to improve our run defense