ENGLEWOOD, Colo — We didn’t see it last year. We didn’t see it during OTAs in the spring.
But at long last, the Javonte Williams that Broncos Country fell in love with as a rookie in 2021 may be back to form as training camp opens in 2024.
"I don’t know if you’ve noticed or had a chance to get up close but he’s lost weight," Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Wednesday after his team’s brief but full-speed acclimation training camp practice beneath a warm sun at Broncos Park. "He looks trim. I thought he looked sharp today. He looked much different. His weight’s down and … proud of him."
Williams, a second-round running back from North Carolina, was a tackle-breaking, tackle-carrying ball carrier as a rookie, rushing for 903 yards on 4.4 yards per carry while splitting time with veteran Melvin Gordon.
But Williams tore an ACL after he was driven into the turf by the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby in game 4 of the 2022 season. He was not the same in 2023. In particular, Williams didn’t seem to have the burst or quickness he once had. He rushed for just 31 yards a game, on 2.6 yards per carry, in the final four weeks of the season.
Williams fall off was understandable considering he was just one year removed from the devastating knee injury.
But when Williams still didn’t seem to have the same burst this spring, Payton nudged him to try something else.
"I was watching his college tape in the draft room one day and he walked in," Payton said. "We were watching all the runs and I’m asking him questions. And I said, ‘This is the back I want. What’d you weight here?’"
It must have been Williams’ junior year at North Carolina, when his listed weight was 212 pounds and he rushed for 1,140 yards on 7.3 yards per carry.
"Oftentimes runners and receivers and corners can – not intentionally but they can add weight in the weight room and yet at those positions I kind of like their college senior year weight. Early in the league.
"Some of them are going to put on healthy weight but. And I think his goal, even in the spring he knew we wanted to get to (221, 220). You could see it today."
>>Video below: Broncos veterans and coaches report to 2024 training camp
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