Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton overhauled the team’s coaching staff this offseason. He also brought in new vice president of health and performance Beau Lowery, who worked under Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2017-2021.
Together with Lowery and the training staff, Payton has created three groups of players who the team will treat cautiously during training camp.
“Any player who had a significant injury a year ago — Beau and I will sit down, and we’ll have a Group 1,” Payton said on July 26. “That would be someone like [Javonte Williams]. We’ll have days on, limited days, and days off. There’s a process. It won’t only be with him. There will be a handful of those players.
“Then we’ll have a mid-group of players that will have a set schedule with load management. Then the last group would be veteran players like Kareem [Jackson] and a handful of those guys that we’ll be smart with.”
Payton explained that process after being asked specifically about Williams, who is returning from a torn ACL this year. Williams avoided the PUP list to begin camp, but Denver won’t rush him back into regular full-speed action.
“He would fall into that first group of a planned schedule as he’s recovering from a major surgery,” Payton said of Williams. “We’re pleased, obviously, with his progress. We felt really good about it in the spring, and he put the work in.”
Williams seems to be on track to be ready for the regular season. The Broncos will be cautious with Williams — and every other player returning from a significant injury — this summer, hoping to avoid any setbacks.
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