Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of their Week 4 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. What is the latest update on Williams, and what will the Broncos do if the promising young back is sidelined for a while?
Broncos lose RB Javonte Williams
Williams injured his knee on a rush attempt and was slow to get up. He initially tried to walk off under his power, but he required assistance from Denver’s trainers to get off the field. Williams first headed to the medical tent, but he was eventually carted to the locker room.
Denver listed Williams as questionable directly after he went down, but the team quickly downgraded him to out. That’s an ominous sign, as players who get ruled out that quickly are typically dealing with a serious injury.
Williams was the 35th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He split carries with veteran Melvin Gordon III during his rookie campaign, but he was expected to take on a larger role this year.
However, Williams only had three more rushing attempts than Gordon heading into Week 4. To be fair, Williams has been much more heavily involved in the passing game (21 targets to Gordon’s nine).
If Williams is set to miss time, Denver will likely turn to a combination of Gordon and Mike Boone, who received the first carries following Williams’ injury. Gordon fumbled against the Raiders on Sunday and now has four fumbles on the season, so the Broncos’ coaching staff might be wary of trusting him.