Montee Ball Waived by Broncos: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The Denver Broncos released running back Montee Ball on Sunday, per Andrew Mason of DenverBroncos.com, just two seasons after taking him with a second-round pick.

Ball, 24, opened the 2014 season as Denver's starting running back, but he injured his groin in the first game of the season and never earned his starting job back. Ronnie Hillman initially played well in his place before Ball suffered another groin injury in Week 5 and was lost for the year.

Following the announcement, Ball thanked the Broncos for his time with the organization:

He finished with just 172 yards and a touchdown in five appearances in 2014. And with C.J. Anderson's emergence as the starter after dominating during the second half of last season, along with Hillman and Juwan Thompson outplaying Ball this summer, he simply didn't have a role on the team going forward.

Ball was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, and Matt Miller believed the Broncos had overestimated the running back's talent before he even played a snap for the team:

Still, Ball is a big back capable of helping a team at the goal line or in short-yardage situations, so he'll likely be picked up by a team, either on waivers or once he becomes a free agent. After failing to meet expectations in Denver, however, Ball faces a long road to prove he can be a feature back in the NFL.