Broncos RB Javonte Williams has 'Looked Far Different' in Camp

What does the immediate future hold for Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams?

Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) hands the ball off to Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos don't have high expectations outside of the Mile High City entering the 2024 season. Sporting the worst odds of any team winning the Super Bowl this season at +30000, a 0.3% chance of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, Vegas projects the Broncos to have one of their worst seasons in a decade that has been replete with one poor performance after another. 

The Broncos finishing with a sub-.500 record would be unfortunate for fans. While the Broncos do (currently) possess their 2025 first-round pick, and, as a team in need of the type of young difference-makers that a top-5 draft choice could bring, fans would surely rather watch meaningful football in December than suffer another year of mock drafts.

It’s up to the Broncos to prove everyone wrong and flip the limited-upside narrative. All eyes will rightfully be on rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Whether he's the long-term answer is arguably more important than the results on the field, given the constraints the Broncos had building this team in 2024 with limited cap space following the Russell Wilson release.

That's to say nothing of past top 100 selections on the roster after the Wilson trade, the Sean Payton trade, and multiple others. Nix hitting is about the broad perspective for the Broncos organization. For 2024, though, it can be argued eyes should also be focused on someone else in the backfield.

The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov listed each squad’s most intriguing player in training camp this season, and fourth-year running back Javonte Williams was listed as Denver’s most intriguing player.  

"The Broncos drafted Audric Estimé in the fifth round out of Notre Dame, and there were some unconfirmed reports suggesting it might have implications for Javonte Williams, but that is far from the truth.

"Williams was not himself last season after returning from a significant knee injury. He has looked far different so far in camp, and it’s evident that the injury and rehab are behind him. Coach Sean Payton recently said, “he looks like a completely different player. He’s fully healthy now, and you can see it in his play,'" Meirov wrote.

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In the Broncos' first preseason game of 2024, Williams received four carries for 15 yards and caught one pass for five yards. He only saw snaps on the first few possessions for obvious reasons.

However, if the Broncos are to rise above expectations this season, it very well could come on the potential prowess of Denver’s ground game. With Payton’s time in New Orleans indicating just how valuable he values the ground game and running backs in his offense, Williams could be in line for a big season.

Further given Denver’s massive investment in the offensive line, questions at the pass catcher spot, and the chance of starting a rookie quarterback, a strong rushing attack led by Williams could be Payton’s best recipe for success in 2024.

After battling back from a catastrophic knee injury suffered in 2022, Williams looked far from the tackle-breaking machine he displayed his rookie season. After finishing No. 4 in the NFL in yards after contact per attempt (with a minimum of 200 rushing attempts) at 3.42, No. 2 in missed tackles forced at No. 63, and No. 7 in rushes of 10-plus yards at 25, in 2023, Williams plummeted to 26th, 24th, and 19th, respectively, in those categories.

Williams’ tape at North Carolina and in Denver before his injury always showed some questionable vision and pacing as a runner, sometimes missing gaps or running into traffic, but his ability to break tackles and keep his balance with his legs churning negated these deficiencies in his game. If he can return to his tackle breaking form while adding better feel for his blockers (behind a better offensive line than the one he ran behind in 2022), perhaps he could return to form.

Williams could even play his way into a solid second contract, something of a rarity in today’s market for running backs. He's entering a contract year, after all.

The Broncos' 2024 season is likely to be more about finding long-term building blocks currently on the roster and assessing whether Nix can be a viable solution at quarterback over the coming years. However, if Williams is able to return to form with Payton dialing up the rushing scheme, perhaps Denver can surprise the national perspective this season.

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