Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams reportedly left Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a knee injury. After staying down on the field for a 1-yard loss on the first play of the second half, he was carted out to the locker room in the third quarter and ruled out for the remaining of the game.
Williams left the locker room at Allegiant Stadium on crutches. Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said after the 32-23 loss that the running back will be tested for an MRI on Monday morning.
“We’re still evaluating,” Hackett said. “We want to be sure we get MRIs and get a feel there.”
While Denver awaits further information on Williams’ injury, the team appears to be ready for the worst. From the injury replay, Jesse Morse of TheFantasyDoctors.com described that Williams hyperextended his knee during his attempted tackle in the third quarter against Las Vegas.
Morse added that the way his knee twisted does not suggest a torn ACL, but Williams may have a bruise on his bone and possibly a tear in his meniscus.
The injury also could force Williams to miss several games. If the MRI revealed that Williams had a torn meniscus, he would be predicted to miss a month. In that case, the Broncos would have to be more cautious about him.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Denver is concerned that Williams suffered a serious knee injury and that he will need to be sidelined for quite a while.
Broncos RB Javonte Williams just left the locker room on crutches … coach Nathaniel Hackett said both Williams and Randy Gregory will get MRIs in morning … both injured right knees.
— Jeff Legwold (@Jeff_Legwold) October 2, 2022
Williams’ absence affects Broncos
Williams’ absence will have a significant impact on the Broncos’ offense, regardless of how long he is out. The Broncos ranked 14th in the NFL in terms of running play rate in Week 4, with 42.21 percent. During the first three weeks of the season, Williams had 175 yards on 37 carries and was the Broncos’ second-leading receiver with 15 catches.
Williams seemed to be one of the brightest players on Denver’s offense. Before his injury, Williams went for 28 yards on 10 carries. Williams came into the game with the team as the second-round pick in the 2021 draft and was an important passes target for quarterback Russell Wilson.
#Broncos RB Javonte Williams is feared to have suffered a serious knee injury, source said. He’ll have an MRI tomorrow to determine the full extent, but there is not a lot of optimism surrounding the injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2022
Williams’ replacements
As of the end of Week 4, the Broncos are currently 2-2. Denver has now lost twice this season against teams that they should have defeated on paper.
Williams is not expected to play against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football in Week 5. As a result, the Broncos must make a change to their game plan.
Denver is expected to put Melvin Gordon in as the replacement for Williams. However, the Broncos might not feel confident about it.
He had split time with Williams over the first game over the first three games of the season, but Gordon fumbled in the second quarter and the Raiders’ Amik Robertson returned it 68 yards for a touchdown. The veteran running back has already fumbled four times this season, which has become a recurring issue for him.
In addition to Gordon, Mike Boone will be involved in filling the position. Boone took Williams’ place in the lineup immediately after he was injured. In his first four NFL seasons, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry on 75 rushes.
Aside from Williams, the Broncos will send outside linebacker Randy Gregory for an MRI on Monday after he suffered a right knee injury on a 9-yard sweep by Raiders quarterback Derek Carr with just under six minutes remaining in the game.
Injury update: RB Javonte Williams (knee) has been downgraded to OUT. https://t.co/P67rB136nC
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 2, 2022