Surprising trades in recent years have surrounded the Denver Broncos. Russell Wilson and Sean Payton are two examples of personnel acquired through headline-raising trades. However, one NFL analyst has predicted the team to make an outgoing trade.
Writing in a recent article for Bleacher Report, analyst Ryan Fowler named running back Javonte Williams as a player the Broncos should put on the trade block this year.
Here’s how he put it:
“With generally shorter career spans and a position that has remained more susceptible to injuries, as Williams himself experienced with his knee injury in 2022, trading him while his value remains could allow the Broncos to avoid the risk of a potential decline in performance or another injury.”
He also mentioned the crowded backfield filled with younger candidates. He specifically named Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime as names the Broncos might want to see more of. If they are not going to use Williams, they might as well get some trade value back, his logic appeared to indicate.
Javonte Williams faces deep hole to climb out with Broncos
Fans and analysts claimed Williams was the Broncos’ solution at running back for years. However, through his first three years in the league, it hasn’t been pretty.
Williams started strong enough in 2021, rushing for 903 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. But his career took a massive hit when he suffered a season-ending injury in his second season. He finished with just 204 yards and zero touchdowns on the ground that year.
In 2023, Williams played better in some respects, but left plenty to be desired. He wrapped up the season with 16 games of action and 13 starts, which indicated that Payton might have been willing to turn the page last year.
Williams finished with 774 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, which was close to his rookie numbers in fewer games. That might seem like an improvement. However, his carry average cratered to 3.6 yards per carry.
At just 24 years old, the Broncos might be able to entice a team to take a somewhat premium flier on him. However, his injury history and his recent slip-up in 2023 don’t promise much for the Broncos or any other team in 2024.
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