The Broncos may get Javonte Williams back sooner than expected

The Denver Broncos held their rookie minicamp over the weekend. It was great to get back out to Broncos headquarters to watch some football.

I like watching the rookies get their first taste of the NFL. There are always some players who emerge that can surprise, and I’m here for those debuts!

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep Wrangler TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Avoiding PUP

We heard something from Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton that I didn’t think we would on Saturday. When asked, including a followup question, about running back Javonte Williams, Payton expressed optimism about having the back available in training camp. Not just in camp at some point in August, but at the start of camp (which is near the end of July). I felt this was the most startling thing the Broncos coach had to say.

Earlier this year Broncos general manager George Paton said that Williams would be available Week 1, and I felt that was a mistake. Williams is coming back from a knee injury where multiple ligaments had to be surgically repaired. This is not your normal ACL injury which now takes 8-12 months to recover from. Instead, this was a more severe injury that Williams suffered in October. Simply put, that’s not enough time to recover when multiple ligaments are torn.

I believe Williams could be ahead of schedule, and I’m confident the Broncos will take it easy on their starting running back as he continues to recover. However, I would like if PUP was the way Williams began training camp. If he begins camp on PUP, Williams can begin the regular season on PUP. If he is practicing at the start of camp and suffers a reaggravation, there is no recourse as the Broncos cannot put him on PUP for Week 1 if he did not begin camp on PUP.

#Broncos WR Marvin Mims Jr. on becoming a Bronco, facing Riley Moss and Drew Sanders’ big day not surprising him. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/V1N6X58rrd

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) May 13, 2023

I’ll believe it when I see it, but I do like the positive news about Williams. The Broncos are in good hands at the running back position with Samaje Perine as their starter. With Williams, the team can be stronger, but we still must see if Williams is his old self or merely a percentage of the player he used to be when he eventually returns to the field.

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All Smiles

I was all smiles after the 2023 NFL Draft. The Broncos did a good job with limited picks, and I like the talent they added in the process. I really like the boldness they showed when moving up for Oklahoma wideout Marvin Mims Jr. He was a standout player on film, and he comes from a program that is known for wide receivers who can be playmakers at the pro level.

On the field during rookie minicamp, Mims did a great job showcasing his trademark speed and he had sick quickness after the catch. I expected him to do that, and it was a good sign that he backed up in person what he showed on film. However, it was in the locker room after practice where I think he especially shined.

Talking to Mims, I got a sense of his humility and his love for the game. Mims does not take this opportunity for granted, and he was smiling from ear to ear during the entire press scrum around him. Mims understands what it takes to get here, and he told me that he felt that he could make it to the NFL during his senior year in high school. This has been a dream of his for a long time, and you can tell he appreciates the opportunity.

#Broncos WR Marvin Mims Jr. on becoming a Bronco, facing Riley Moss and Drew Sanders’ big day not surprising him. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/V1N6X58rrd

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) May 13, 2023

Mims is exactly the type of player you want in your locker room. He’s exactly the type of player fans can root for. He knows how special it is to make it to the NFL, and Mims should be able to take advantage of his opportunity in the league quicker than some think.

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Still Primetime

It’s been six years since the Broncos were a halfway decent team. There have been seven seasons of mediocrity at best, but at least in 2016 they were in the playoff conversation after winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015. After that season, things have been bad – really bad – for a team that is traditionally at least a playoff contender every year.

Things have been worse than ever before, at least in my lifetime (40-plus years) of watching Broncos’ football. With QB Russell Wilson last year, the Broncos earned more national attention, and many felt they would right the ship. I felt the team could build something special, and that excitement was quickly squelched as I watched the 2022 season unfold. Last year was seemingly more embarrassing than ever, but once again the Broncos are going to be in the national spotlight.

I was surprised when the Broncos’ schedule was released last week and they had so many national games. I should not have been surprised, but it was a bit shocking that HC Sean Payton can thrust the team back into the spotlight so quickly. Last year was so bad, the Broncos were flexed out of a late-season game. NFL fans across the country had had enough of watching the Broncos struggle. Apparently, with Payton at the helm, broadcast partners of the NFL can bet on the Broncos to be the draw they once were.

Broncos are 1-of-6 teams set to appear on primetime this season on Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football and NFL Network.

Denver's 141 primetime appearances over the last 40 years are the 2nd most of any NFL team in that time (Dallas, 158). https://t.co/eZZ9xeuJwf

— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) May 12, 2023

The Broncos can still move the needle nationally. The NFL is king, and it’s clear that many expect them to push for the postseason in the near future. With the Kansas City Chiefs in the division, Payton has his work cut out for him in terms of winning the AFC West. Give him time, and I think you could be over the moon with the results.

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Family Support

I’m excited to announce my third comic book coming to Kickstarter this week. Last year, I began seriously pursuing my dreams of being a comic book creator. It’s taken that long to get the stories written and the art done as I have eight IPs (intellectual properties) that I’m bringing to the market this year.

My latest comic “Death Support” has been one of my favorite stories to write and watch come to life with artist Ty Henderson. I originally thought of the idea when I was on a plane coming back to Denver, and we were experiencing turbulence. As the flight attendant went to get buckled in, she would lean over and alert people to put their seat belt on. When I saw that, I thought “what if she’s telling us to get ready to crash?”

That was the impetus to write Death Support on my phone. Even though the skies were bumpy, I was able to jot down notes (I have a stylus on my phone so I can draw) and get the creative juices flowing. The great thing about these stories is there is a lot of me in each one of these projects. Going through the process of launching these titles into the public is a bit unnerving at times, but the reward of telling these stories fills me with incredible joy.

Death is a big job, but somebody has to do it.

The pre-launch page for my next IP "Death Support" is here: https://t.co/iS12SYYm7v

this is Cover A by Ty Henderson #comicbooks #indiecomics pic.twitter.com/UKMuAkjEaO

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) May 9, 2023

Are you excited for my latest story? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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Follow @CecilLammey