Is Javonte Williams fighting for a roster spot in training camp?

Jul 22, 2024, 6:59 AM

Denver Sports Analyst

We will all get to see the Denver Broncos this week! Training camp begins at the end of the week, and I will be in attendance every single day.

I like when camp finally gets here. The time away was great, and it went far too fast, but I’m about the work. It’s time to get back to the grind.

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.

***

Fox Force Five

It’s time for some to play catch up with the Broncos. I understand in the offseason not everyone is going to stay up to date with NFL news. However, I was a bit surprised that many on my Twitter feed were shocked to hear that Javonte Williams could be competing with Samaje Perine for the final roster spot on the depth chart.

Rookie Audric Estime is a talented back, and the staff loves him. He’s a power player like Williams, but instead of looking for contact the former Notre Dame back looks for daylight. He will run you over if you get in his way, but he does not begin a run by looking for someone to bash into. Estime will not break off long runs, but his first 10 yards are fast (faster than WR Troy Franklin) and he is an efficient runner who wastes little motion. We need to see the shoulder pads come on for Estime to show truly what he’s got.

The pads need to come on for Jaleel McLaughlin as well. While Estime missed most of the offseason with a minor knee injury and Williams looked sluggish at times, McLaughlin was the best back on the field during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. When the pads come on, McLaughlin can prove that he’s improved his pass protection. As a smaller back, McLaughlin needs to protect the quarterback if he wants to earn more than a change-of-pace role.

https://t.co/SRW7Tanoej pic.twitter.com/KKBLHAVAEo

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) July 20, 2024

We don’t know yet how this backfield is going to shape up. Williams was great as a rookie, but that was then, and this is now. Perine has looked more than fine, and his receiving ability could give him the edge over Williams if they are truly competing for one spot.

***

Who is Laughing Now?

I was impressed with Wisconsin-Whitewater OG Quinn Meinerz when I watched him practice at the Senior Bowl. He was playing center for the first time in his football career, and Meinerz also stayed in practice (where he was dominating some of the nation’s best seniors) with a broken thumb. I love that Jim Nagy and the Senior Bowl give a Division III player like Meinerz a shot, and he proved that he belonged in the NFL that week.

When the Broncos selected Meinerz in the third round, I applauded the pick. I had a third-round grade on him, and I didn’t feel the team reached for the small school prospect. However, I know a few teams that were making fun of the Broncos pick. Some executives I talk to around the league felt Meinerz was not worth the risk. Sure, these GMs would have taken him late in the draft but not in the third round. Some road scouts I talk to clowned the Broncos at the time for taking a chance on a guy who did not play against a high level of competition in college.

Well, who is laughing now? The Broncos recently made Meinerz one of the top-five highest paid guards in the league. With a four-year, $80 million contract extension, Meinerz is now under the Broncos’ control through the 2028 season. He’s clearly a foundational piece for the offensive line, and Meinerz is one of the best young players at his position in the game.

#Broncos G Quinn Meinerz has agreed to terms on a four-year, $80 million extension, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

“The Belly” gets $24m in the first year of the deal. The 2021 3rd-rounder from D-III Wisconsin-Whitewater, who flew up draft boards, is now a top-5 paid guard. pic.twitter.com/XmnPDNX2m8

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 17, 2024

Meinerz is exactly what you want your draft picks to be, and I think the best is yet to come. Sean Payton knows how important the interior of the line is to team success, and that’s why Meinerz is locked up.

***

Yeah, Maybe…but Just Stop

It’s the non-playing season, so things can get a little slow on the NFL news wire. This leads many to start fantasizing about what could happen – and it leads to some awful trade proposals for players who might be available. I get questions from some fans out there if the Broncos could trade for San Francisco 49ers’ WR Brandon Aiyuk or Cincinatti Bengals WR Tee Higgins. As Kevin Garnett said years ago, “Anything is possible!” But I always ask, “What is probable?”

Aiyuk is coming off an All-Pro season with the 49ers, and he’s set to earn a contract that makes him one of the highest paid receivers in the league. There are reports of five teams that would give him the new contract he wants, but none of them are willing to meet the 49ers’ demands. Even though the two sides have met in recent weeks, there is no traction on a new long-term deal. Furthermore, the 49ers insist they will not trade Aiyuk. That’s not true because everyone has a price, but that price tag – both for trade and new contract – are likely too high for the Broncos.

Higgins gets a fully guaranteed $21 million this year from the Bengals as he’s signed his franchise tag tender. After that, he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. Like the 49ers, the Bengals seem to have no interest in trading Higgins away. I don’t believe the demand for Higgins is as great as it is for Aiyuk – and he can’t be traded (yet?). Even though the price to trade for him might be lower than Aiyuk, I don’t think the Broncos will make a move.

"I think his desire to get paid is greater than his desire to stay in San Francisco" – Adam Schefter

Will Brandon Aiyuk play for the 49ers this season? pic.twitter.com/96AhcC9mAU

— Sharp Football Analysis (@SharpFBAnalysis) April 16, 2024

We’ll see what happens with Aiyuk and Higgins. Sure, the Broncos could add one of these veterans via trade. However, I’d rather see them turn to young receivers on the roster like Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, and Devaughn Vele. Those three are not as accomplished as Aiyuk or Higgins, but they have upside I would like to see developed.

***

College Football is Back!

I’m still a gamer. I thought when I turned 40 I would put down the controller. Well, my 40th birthday was some time ago and I still play video games. Call it lame, call it immature, I just call it taking a break from working seven days a week for 11 months out of the year. I don’t have much time to play video games, but I knew I would have to clear out some of my vacation time to play EA Sports College Football 25.

I am so excited to play college football again. The last time there was a college football game was in 2013 with NCAA Football 2014. This could be the most anticipated game in the history of video games. We get a pro football game every year (only one) when the current iteration of Madden is released, but playing a college football game is just so different.

Get ready to spend a lot of time with this game. Unlike Madden, you can tell how much time and attention was put into this game. The gameplay is smooth, and it’s certainly fun to hear the music in the stadium that you get in the college football atmosphere. The players look great, and the movement animations look natural when throwing passes, running through the line, or making tackles. The logos, the customization, the mascots, the gameplay – EA Sports College Football 25 gets a 10 out of 10 from me.