Before the Denver Broncos faced the Arizona Cardinals in their preseason opener, coach Sean Payton said he wasn’t sure if running back Javonte Williams would get snaps in Week 1 of preseason.
The third-year running back did not suit up against the Cardinals, but he’s on track to play against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 of preseason. That was the plan all along. After Denver’s loss in Arizona, Williams confirmed that he will play against the 49ers on Aug. 19.
Payton and general manager George Paton have both indicated that Williams is 100% recovered from 2022’s knee injury. After signing Samaje Perine during free agency, the Broncos have no reason to rush Williams back if he’s not truly healthy, so it seems safe to assume the team is being truthful about the running back’s status.
Williams, 23, has totaled 1,499 yards from scrimmage and scored seven touchdowns through his first 21 games in the NFL (five starts). He will serve as the team’s RB1 this season with Perine as RB2.
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