Broncos running back Javonte Williams could miss extended time following his early exit from Sunday’s 32–23 loss to the Raiders.
Williams was carted off the field after suffering a knee injury on the first play of the third quarter; the second-year back was unable to put weight on the knee before heading back to the locker room. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday night the team fears Williams suffered a “serious” injury and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.
Rapoport noted that while the full extent of the injury has yet to be determined, there is “not a lot of optimism” surrounding the outcome.
Should the pending results confirm a long-term injury, it would be a costly blow to the Broncos offense. Williams entered Week 4 as the team’s leading rusher with 176 yards, and added another 28 yards on 10 carries prior to his exit; the versatile standout has also tallied 16 catches for 76 yards.
Veterans Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone are expected to command the backfield in Williams’s absence. Gordon, who shared the backfield with Williams through three weeks, had a rough outing against Las Vegas with three carries for eight yards and a costly lost fumble returned for a 68-yard touchdown in the first half. The seldom-used Boone, meanwhile, rushed three times for 20 yards and caught one pass for nine yards.
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