The Broncos should trade Javonte Williams to get a pick in the 30s

Last year, the Broncos moved up in the second round of the NFL Draft. Tonight, they should do it again.

To the exact same spot. With the exact same player involved.

In 2021, George Paton maneuvered to the 35th overall pick in order to select Javonte Williams. Denver’s general manager had zeroed in on the North Carolina back as the type of bruising runner that he wanted to add to the Broncos offense.

As a rookie, Williams didn’t disappoint. He had 203 carries for 903 yards and four touchdowns, breaking a lot of tackles on the way to those numbers.

That caused a lot of people to think he’d become the Broncos workhorse. After splitting carries with Melvin Gordon in year one, Williams would be the featured back in his second season.

That was the plan. Or so everyone thought.

But earlier this week, Denver re-signed Gordon. They wouldn’t have done that if they were convinced that Williams was ready to be “the guy.”

In part, there’s reason for the Broncos to wonder. Williams has always split carries. He did in college, sharing time in the Tar Heels backfield with Michael Carter. And he did as a rookie, with he and Gordon each getting 203 carries on the season.

If Denver was ready to make Williams the running back who gets 20-25 carries per game, they wouldn’t have brought back Gordon. They’d have drafted a player on day three to serve as a backup. They’ve have talked themselves into Mike Boone being the right guy to get a handful of carries now that he’s healthy.

Instead, they brought back a guy who has rushed for 1,904 yards and 17 touchdowns during his two seasons in orange and blue. That doesn’t sound like a backup.

It sounds more like a guy the Broncos trust. It sounds more like a player that fits what Nathaniel Hackett and Russell Wilson want to do.

Gordon is a better all-around running back. He’s a different style of runner, but equally effective. He’s a better receiver. And as a veteran, he’s more trusted in pass protection.

Williams is good. There’s no denying that fact. But is he special? Is he great? There’s plenty of room for debate on that front.

The fact of the matter is that the Broncos would probably be better off with Gordon as their starter in 2022. Even the most ardent Williams fan would have to concede that the veteran wouldn’t be a downgrade in any way.

Thus, it would make sense for Denver to use Williams to jump into the early part of the second round tonight. Specifically, it would allow them to grab a player who could be a day one starter and make a big impact in 2022.

Somehow, Nakobe Dean is still on the board. The Georgia linebacker is a great player, someone who was all over the field in the biggest games the Bulldogs played last season. Scouts have compared him to Roquan Smith, a two-time All-Pro with the Bears.

He’d step right in and make the Broncos better. He’d be a fixture in the middle of their defense for at least the next five years.

Adding that piece is worth parting ways with Williams. The Broncos have another option in the backfield. At the moment, they’re planning on starting Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith at linebacker. That’s a scary proposition.

In 2022, the Broncos would be better with Gordon and Dean than with Gordon and Williams. That’s why Paton needs to make an unpopular, but necessary, move.

Last year, Denver’s GM traded for the 35th pick to select Javonte Williams. This year, he should send the running back to a team picking early in the second round. Detroit at No. 34 makes a lot of sense.

Williams is good. Nakobe Dean is better.

It’s a tough decision, but it’s a move the Broncos need to make.

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