Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams burst onto the scene during his 2021 rookie campaign, racking up over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns.
Unfortunately, his follow-up season wasn’t nearly so scintillating, ending abruptly in Week 4 when he suffered a torn ACL against the Las Vegas Raiders.
But Williams has been hard at work in his comeback efforts. And according to his coach, Sean Payton, Williams will retake the field in Denver’s preseason game this Saturday, Aug. 19, against the San Francisco 49ers.
NFL Fans Excited for Javonte Williams’ Long-Awaited Return
Whatever snaps Williams gets on Saturday will be the first live-action he’s seen since October of last year. Fans will be curious to see if he remains the powerful, explosive playmaker who emerged out of the Denver backfield in 2021.
Fans quickly took to social media to react to the news with posts like “he’s elite” and “hyped to see him back out there” flooding timelines.
he’s ELITE
— Tee🥱 (@HimmyCarter_) August 15, 2023
Hyped to see him back out there
— Jacob Lintner (@lintnermedia) August 15, 2023
While Williams has yet to tote the rock again in a live setting (outside of practice work, that is), his head ball coach has seen enough to deem the 23-year-old fully recovered.
“He’s getting work out here. I don’t know how many snaps I’ll give him Friday, but he’s 100% right now. He’s got good vision, great makeup. He’s great to be around.”
Broncos HC Sean Payton said in an interview with @CBSSports that young RB Javonte Williams is “100% right now.”
Williams suffered a torn ACL and LCL in Week 4 last season.
🎥 : @XanB21pic.twitter.com/qgkqOVsjxh
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) August 10, 2023
If Williams can recapture his rookie form, it would do wonders for a Denver offense that struggled mightily last year. Denver finished 21st in the league in rushing a season ago, with veteran journeyman Latavius Murray leading the way with a hair over 700 yards.
Murray’s been a steady contributor throughout his pro career, but it’s safe to say the 33-year-old doesn’t offer the same burst that Williams can at full health.
It’ll be interesting to see what sort of boost Williams can provide to a Denver offense that never seemed to get off the ground a year ago. If he can match or better his rookie efforts, it’d definitely open up more space for Russell Wilson and Denver’s aerial attack.
It will be very interesting to see Javonte Williams back in action.
Every recovery is different. https://t.co/ZPTxeTmY7G
— John Frascella (Football) (@LegendSports7) August 15, 2023
Payton’s offenses in New Orleans supported a slew of successful backs with a wide variety of skill sets. Some of the more prominent ball carriers to thrive under Payton’s watch include Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, and Alvin Kamara.
The 5-foot-10, 220-pound Williams has a tantalizing blend of skills, with the contact balance of an Ingram and adept pass-catching skills to boot. Payton, who’s borne witness to his rehabilitation process firsthand, sounds impressed by Williams’ perseverance and excited for his return to the gridiron.
“It’s a credit to him,” Payton said of Williams’ speedy recovery during a recent interview with CBS Sports.
“When I got hired, it was during the offseason, he was in here every day getting treatment. At that time, with that type of injury, you expect him to be PUP at training camp, but he’s one of those guys that healed quickly.