Paton delivers great news on injury status of Javonte Williams, Tim Patrick
Feb 28, 2023, 4:43 PM
Broncos general manager George Paton met with the media on Tuesday in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine, and delivered some great injury news.
One revelation was surprising, while the other was expected but still good to hear.
For running back Javonte Williams, who shredded his knee in Week 4 against the Raiders, no one was sure when to expect him back on the football field. Not only did Williams tear his ACL, he also suffered a torn LCL and posterior lateral corner. The injury happened in early October, so it was reasonable to not expect to see him until midway through the 2023 campaign.
Not so fast though says Paton, who’s not committing to a firm timeline, but also said Williams could be ready for Week 1.
“I think he’s on track. I don’t want to put a date on it, but he’s out there jogging. He’s working his butt off. He’s rehabbing. Javonte, they anticipate he would be ready for the start of the season. We’ll have a plan, we’ll have another back or two to be ready if he can’t go,” Paton said.
Who “they” is seems unclear, but clearly Paton’s been told by either Broncos trainers, independent doctors or Williams’ camp that the running back has a good shot to play at the start of the regular season. That would be a huge boost for the Broncos, who face uncertainty at the running back position entering the year.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Tim Patrick tore his ACL during training camp. It subtracted a massive weapon from QB Russell Wilson before he ever played a down with the Broncos. Paton acknowledged that was a big one, but also provided a welcomed update on Patrick.
“That was a huge loss. You could argue one of the biggest losses of the season. When he got hurt that day, the whole building was deflated. You guys know Tim, what he brings every day, a leader, really good player. He’s running now, he’s jogging. I don’t know when he’ll be back, in terms of the offseason programs, but next season, certainly, he’ll be 100 percent,” Paton said.
So, whether that be mini-camp, OTAs or training camp, Patrick should be back in plenty of time. It’ll be a huge addition for Wilson, and for a Broncos offense as a whole that severely lacked firepower in 2022.
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