Ronnie Hillman Released by Broncos: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The Denver Broncos released running back Ronnie Hillman on Saturday as part of the team's league-mandated roster cut to 53 players, according to 9News' Mike Klis.  

According to Klis, the Broncos will recoup $1.4 million of the $2 million owed to Hillman and have the chance to save another $400,000 via contractual offsets. 

Given the hefty sum Hillman was due and the Broncos' depth at running back, releasing Hillman was a logical move. 

Not only did the Broncos bring back C.J. Anderson on a deal that includes the fifth-biggest cap hit ($6 million) among running backs in 2016, per Spotrac, but they selected former Utah Utes standout Devontae Booker in the fourth round of the NFL draft. 

With those two entrenched as the Broncos' primary running backs, there was little room left for Hillman to carve out a role in head coach Gary Kubiak's offense. 

However, just because Hillman couldn't make the cut in Denver doesn't mean teams won't have interest in his skill set on the open market. 

Hillman will turn 25 years old on Sept. 14, and by all accounts he looked sharp throughout the latter stages of training camp and the preseason a year after rushing for a career-high 863 yards and seven touchdowns while making 11 starts.

"I think the thing that’s happened to me, Ronnie really responded the last two weeks," Kubiak said on Tuesday, per the Denver Post's Cameron Wolfe. "He played very well."

And even though he's searching for a new gig, Hillman acknowledged just before cut-down day that he may have to dig deep and chip in on special teams if he wants to contribute on a regular basis. 

“I have to be a teammate and a player and show guys that you have to go out and do certain things to make teams. If that’s what I have to do, that’s what I have to do,” Hillman said, per Wolfe. “You just have to roll with the punches. It’s a crazy league.”