The Denver Broncos have said that Javonte Williams is 100% healthy, and the running back himself has said he is ready to go for Week 1 after knocking off the rust in preseason.
The Broncos, though, might still take a cautious approach, even if they believe the RB has fully recovered from last season’s knee injury. Williams might need some time to get acclimated to playing week-to-week again, and the team won’t have him do too much too soon.
After a mid-week practice following roster cuts, coach Sean Payton was asked if Williams will be on a snap count against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I don’t know if we have sat and had that discussion relative to Week 1 pitch count, but that is a really good question,” Payton said. “That’s something that will come as early as Monday. We are pleased with where we are right now and how he has progressed. He’s gotten into games, and he is someone who picks things up quickly. We will have a balance.
“He’s one, but there will be a few players that we have to pay attention to that may not have had the volume compared to other guys. I know it’s a regular-season game, but you still have to have a minutes plan or a play plan, and we will have that with him.”
So while Williams is on track to play on Sept. 10, he might not have quite as full of a workload as fans might typically expect. That could mean more opportunities for Samaje Perine, at least in the season opener.
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