NFL Free Agency: Willis McGahee Signed, Kyle Orton Staying with Denver Broncos?

Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting via Twitter that the Denver Broncos have reached a three-year agreement with recently released running back Willis McGahee.

The deal is worth at least $3 million in guaranteed money and up to $7.5 million. Not quite the big splash in free agency that many had hoped for.

Couple that with ESPN's John Clayton reporting that the Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement with former Carolina Panthers QB Matt Moore and have dropped out of the Kyle Orton trade negotiations, and fans should be worried.

John Elway and company have been underwhelming in their first foray into free agency together, and their inability to move one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the league right now is downright disheartening.

Still, the Broncos brought in John Fox to fix the running game, primarily, and so there must be some belief that Willis McGahee will regain his form in the system.

McGahee, who has only three 1,000-plus yard rushing seasons in his career, will be competing with Knowshon Moreno and Lendale White for the starting position.

Reports out of Dove Valley have Lendale White as the early favorite to garner the bulk of the carries when the season starts, based on his physical condition and determination to prove himself in the NFL once again.

The Broncos seem to have a trend in the backfield, with running backs who are eager to prove that they are either still elite backs or could be one if given the chance.

Contractually, it would seem logical that Moreno and McGahee are locks to make the team out of training camp. If that is true, then Lendale White has the clear advantage over others, like Lance Ball, who are on the training camp roster.

The wild card in the backfield is Mario Fannin, the undrafted free agent out of Auburn, who could surprise everyone and play his way onto this roster.

If the reports regarding the Orton trade talks breaking down are true, the race for running back roster spots will be nothing more than a blip on the radar compared to the epic quarterback battle that will ensue between Orton and Tim Tebow.

The Denver Broncos were projected to make a lot of noise in the market this offseason. The fans are listening intently, waiting for something besides the whimpers they have heard so far.