The Denver Broncos have never needed their group of running backs more than they have over the last month.
And in that moment of truth, with a playoff spot on the line. the running backs have essentially disappeared. Irregardless, the Broncos have won 4 consecutive games and are now 9-5 headed into a Week 16 Thursday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The failings of the run game were never more pronounced than in a 31-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15 in which rookie quarterback Bo Nix was Denver’s leading rusher with 23 yards.
That’s one big reason why the Broncos need to cut ties with leading rusher Javonte Williams, who is in the final season of the 4-year, $8.86 million rookie contract he signed in 2021.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks the Broncos will turn to the NFL draft in 2025 in hopes of finally finding the answer to their rushing problem by selecting University of Iowa star Kaleb Johnson.
“The Broncos are going to have to make a decision with Javonte Williams going into next season,” Ballentine wrote. “He’s in the final season of his rookie contract and he just hasn’t looked like the player he was as a rookie before injuries. The best answer might just be drafting a new back and starting over at the position.”
Williams leads the Broncos with 461 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns through 14 games but is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and 32.9 yards per game.
Broncos Might Not Be Able to Afford Williams
Cutting ties with Williams might not just be the smart thing to do in terms of Xs and Os, but also the smartest move for the Broncos in financial terms.
Despite his down year in 2024, Williams’ retains a market value in the range of a 3-year, $20.6 million contract, according to Spotrac. It’s not hard to see that the success of the Philadelphia Eagles signing free agent running back Saquon Barkley in 2024 will translate to more money for the incoming group of free agents in 2025.
The Broncos won’t be willing to pay for a player who hasn’t produced at an elite level — especially not with $33.4 million in dead cap money in 2025.
You know who doesn’t cost a lot of money? Rookies. Especially if you can get them in the mid to later rounds.
Broncos Put Too Much on Nix’s Shoulders in Run Game
Any move the Broncos might make in the future will be centered around Nix, who has led the team to its first winning record since 2016 and on the verge of its first playoff appearance since 2015.
The Broncos have also relied on Nix to run the ball in 2024 — probably too much. He is third on the team with 337 rushing yards, tied for the team lead with 4 rushing touchdowns and averages 4.4 yards per carry. No player for the Broncos has rushed for over 100 yards in a game in 2024.
Johnson, 6-foot and 225 pounds, could be the remedy.
He’s currently the No. 3 running back on ESPN’s Big Board Rankings from Mel Kiper Jr. and was named a unanimous All-American and Big Ten Running Back of the Year in 2024 after rushing for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging a whopping 6.4 yards per carry.
