Denver Broncos promising running back Javonte Williams suffered a big career setback when he tore his ACL and LCL last fall.
Williams suffered the injury in early October and an absolute-best-case-scenario timeline could see him recovered in time for training camp, but the complicated injury could drag out his recovery.
Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL and LCL during preseason in 2021, and he wasn’t able to return until Week 3 in 2022. He then played in four games before having to sit out an additional five games due to complications.
Of course, no injuries are exactly alike and every recovery is different, but Dobbins missing so much time this season is not a promising sign.
Dobbins said he also tore his meniscus and hamstring, making his injury even more complicated, but “just” tearing an ACL and LCL is also difficult to recover from. Even if Williams is ready by Week 1, it will likely take much longer than that to return to form (and he might not ever be able to fully return to his pre-injury form).
The Broncos shouldn’t count on Williams being ready for their season opener, and even if he’s cleared to play a few games into the season, Denver should have a capable backup on the roster in case Williams battles through his recovery similarly to Dobbins’ battle in 2022.
With Williams facing a lengthy recovery and Latavius Murray, Mike Boone and Marlon Mack all scheduled to become free agents, running back will be a key position of need for the Broncos this offseason.
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