Broncos Urged to Replace $8 Million Starter With Former Ravens Draft Pick

The Denver Broncos have not inspired much faith amid their 0-2 start to the season. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed rookie QB Bo Nix among a group of quarterbacks who could soon be benched in an article published on September 20.

While that measure may be too drastic at this stage, the Broncos do need to do more to support Nix.

The run game has been a significant issue.

Fortunately for the Broncos, The Denver Post’s Troy Renck believes the solution is already on the roster.  It is not starter and first-round pick Javonte Williams – the No. 35 overall pick of the 2021 draft – either.

“Please start running back Tyler Badie and use Javonte Williams as a third-down back vs. Tampa Bay,” Renck wrote on September 20.

Badie was a sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2022 draft.

The Broncos claimed him off the Ravens’ practice squad. His lone carry as a rookie went for no gain. He did catch his only target for 24 yards and 1 touchdown. Badie gained 16 yards on 1 carry versus the Pittsburgh Steelers after being elevated from the practice squad for Week 2.

He also caught 1 pass, gaining 2 yards. But he logged three offensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference, prompting questions for Broncos head coach Sean Payton about his lack of usage.

Payton said they planned on using Badie more in Week 2.

“When we had the additional spot and, obviously, with Audric [Estime] down, then it’s about trying to find touches for the third back. Much easier with a rotation of two. Getting the third back involved – sometimes to special teams, sometimes in the passing game. And, obviously, it was good run by him, and it’s something where you take notice of it,” Payton told reporters on September 16.

“It’s something as a play caller, as someone who’s looking at the game, I’ve got to be able to see that. He is a player, though, who had his name on a lot of different plays that either were red zone or situational plays that we weren’t able to get to.”

Payton clarified Badie’s lack of usage was not intentional and that the Broncos had to be “better” about taking advantage of a hot hand.

At 5-foot-8 and 195 pounds, Badie is undersized as a lead back.

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Broncos RB Javonte Williams Underperforming in Contract Year

Williams’ 5-foot-10, 220-pound frame belies his running style post-injury. He has 19 carries for 40 yards while seeing 59% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps so far in 2024. His 2.1 yards-per-carry average is a career-low and continues a trend.

He averaged 3.6 yards per tote in 2023 after posting 4.3 and 4.4 yards-per-carry marks over his first two seasons.

That was his first season back from a torn ACL that cut his 2022 campaign short.

Payton expected improvement from Williams another year removed from surgery. He also praised the back for slimming down. But Williams did not evade criticism.

“He [Williams] misses a cut or two in the game. We need to make sure we get his eyes where they need to be. In other words, having coached that position before, it’s very easy to over-coach,” Payton said. “I saw it in training camp. I look forward to seeing seeing it this season.”

This is a key season for Williams in his Broncos tenure.

He is in the final year of his four-year, $8.8 million contract. He could find it difficult to land as lucrative of a contract as he might like without proving his value on the field.

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Sean Payton Seeking Improvement From Running Game

Payton wants to get Williams and the other Broncos running backs the ball more. He pointed to the offensive line in defense of Nix in Week 1. Payton gave Williams leeway in a similar fashion fielding questions after Week 2.

“I’d say it’s probably a collection of all of us,” Payton said. “And so it’s, ‘Let’s start with design and scheme. And then, let’s get into some execution. I just finished looking at a play that we gained 3 yards and it really should be a gain of 7 yards. And how are we blocking the backside of this and do we need to clean that up?

“You’re patient. And yet you know at some point – and it starts up front, obviously.  But, no, you want to see those runs.”

Payton noted that scatback Jaleel McLaughlin was another player who needed more touches.

McLaughlin has rushed for 33 yards on 13 carries through two games. He had 10 carries for 27 yards in Week 1 versus the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 and 3 totes for 6 yards versus the Steelers.

The underlying message is that the Broncos need to lean on their run game more to help their rookie QB.

As Payton said, that falls on him as the playcaller.

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