Broncos RB Javonte Williams expects to be cleared for training camp after ACL tear
Javonte Williams expects to be good to go for training camp later this month.
The Denver Broncos running back, who tore his ACL in the early weeks of last season, said Sunday at a youth football camp he hosted in the Denver area that “the plan” is for him to be fully cleared by the time training camp starts on July 25.
“I mean, that’s the plan,” Williams said when asked if he’d be medically cleared, via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “I feel like I’m ready to go … It’s just all about the evaluation, how the Broncos feel about it.”
Williams went down in the third quarter of the Broncos’ Week 4 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last season. He was carted off the field, and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Williams was becoming an integral part of the Broncos’ ground game before he went down. He put up 903 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season in 2021 while splitting time with Melvin Gordon. He had 207 rushing yards on 47 carries and caught 16 passes for 76 yards before he went down last season. The Broncos went just 5-12 last season.
New Broncos head coach Sean Payton said in May he thought Williams was progressing well in his recovery and had similar expectations for his return.
"Our current starter is doing extremely well," Payton said in May, via ESPN. "I would tell you we expect him to be ready for the start of training camp and that's good news — [that's] Javonte.
"His rehab is going well, and I don't want to speak for him ... or anybody else, but we get the daily reports ... But I've read a lot [about Williams' status], but I think his rehab is going well."
Perhaps the biggest part of his recovery, Williams said Sunday, was simply in his head. He reached out to teammates Tim Patrick and Aaron Patrick, as well as former Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb for advice, as all three of them have torn ACLs in their careers.
"Just the mental part, being to be able to move like you have your whole life," Williams said, via ESPN. "For the first two months, you're just kind of sitting in bed trying to get it to bend all over again. That's the hardest part. [But] that's who I got to be, that's who I've been my whole life. I don't want to get back on the field playing scared or timid, so when I do get back out there, I want to be 100%."
