Ronnie Hillman Re-Signs with Broncos: Latest Contract Details and Reaction

After four somewhat underwhelming years with the Denver Broncos, Ronnie Hillman is giving the Mile High City a second chance. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, Hillman and the Broncos agreed to terms on a new one-year deal on Monday. Hillman took to Twitter to announce the news:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the deal is worth $2 million with about $600,000 guaranteed. 

Denver selected Hillman out of San Diego State in the third round of the 2012 draft, and he joined a backfield that already contained Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno. The team's running back by committee patented by former head coach Mike Shanahan largely carried on following his departure in 2008.

Using Pro-Football-Reference.com's Play Index, here's a look at how many running backs have registered a carry for the Broncos since 2012:

Player	Games	Carries	Yards	TDs
Ronnie Hillman	48	452	1,842	12
Knowshon Moreno	24	380	1,563	14
C.J. Anderson	35	338	1,607	13
Montee Ball	21	175	731	5
Willis McGahee	10	167	731	4
Juwan Thompson	30	72	320	3
Lance Ball	15	42	158	1
Jacob Hester	3	17	81	2
Jeremy Stewart	6	6	22	0

Hillman also arrived the same offseason as Peyton Manning, and from that point forward, Denver's running game played second fiddle to the team's explosive passing attack.

In short, Hillman didn't exactly enter a favorable situation. Couple that with his lengthy injury history, and the 24-year-old has endured a tough time in the NFL. He did, however, lead the Broncos in rushing yards (863) in 2015.

The Broncos' decision to match the Miami Dolphins' offer sheet for C.J. Anderson looked to be the final nail in Hillman's coffin in Denver. According to Spotrac, Denver only has a little over $9.1 million in salary cap space available for 2016. The chances general manager John Elway would spend the money necessary to retain both Anderson and Hillman looked slim.

With that said, bringing Hillman back makes sense in that the team knows exactly what to expect from him.

The ship has all but sailed on the former SDSU Aztec ever becoming a No. 1 back. His career year in 2015 equated to a 65.2 overall grade on Pro Football Focus, while Football Outsiders ranked him 34th in defense-adjusted yards above replacement.

Denver is well aware of that now, and Hillman will head into training camp second behind Anderson in the depth chart, and the Broncos could do far worse than relying on him as a backup/emergency starter in 2016.

For Hillman, staying in Denver brings a level of security and continuity. He's familiar with head coach Gary Kubiak's offense, and he won't be under any misconceptions about his role on the team.

Not to mention, no running back of late has left the Broncos and enjoyed much success. Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno both fell out of the league altogether one year after signing with new teams, while multiple domestic violence arrests have curtailed Montee Ball's NFL career.

Re-signing Hillman is a somewhat surprising move by Denver, but the team maintains nice depth in the backfield and keeps a proven NFL running back on the roster.