With big expectations going into the new season, the running back tandem for the Denver Broncos has been recognized by The Draft Network as one of the league’s top running back tandems.
Now that Melvin Gordon has been re-signed and Javonte Williams enters his second NFL season with hype behind him, are the Broncos’ running backs primed for a big season?
Two days before the 2022 NFL Draft, Melvin Gordon was an unrestricted free agent waiting to get his next deal.
There were rumblings that the veteran running back would be signing with the Baltimore Ravens to play alongside J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
However, on April 27th it was announced that Gordon would remain with the Denver Broncos, signing a one-year contract worth $2.5 million.
This not only granted Gordon’s wish to remain in Denver to play alongside his former college quarterback but also made it so that the Broncos didn’t have to worry about finding his replacement in the NFL Draft, something that was widely speculated among league pundits.
Gordon and 2021 second-round pick Javonte Williams made quite the name for themselves last season as one of the NFL’s best running back duos.
The tandem literally split carries (203 carries each) and nearly rushed for 1,000 yards each, something that has only been done five times in the history of the NFL by running back duos.
The biggest question for this season is: can they do it again or even get better from here?
The Draft Network’s Damian Parson thinks they will be among the league’s best running back tandems. In a recent article, Parson predicted and ranked the duo of Gordon/Williams as the second-best running back tandem in the league, ranking them behind only the Cleveland combo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Here’s what Parson had to say about the Broncos’ backs:
"Quarterback Russell Wilson will now throw the pigskin all over the field with a healthy and talented receiving corps, which should remove those extra defenders out of the box and free up space to run for the Denver ground game. I expect a solid split in terms of carries again this season, but Gordon is the more natural receiver of the two."
The duo of Gordon and Williams will certainly be one of the best in the league and with Russell Wilson under center in a new outside zone scheme, there’s plenty of opportunity for both of them to shine.
Williams will certainly have high expectations after a rookie season that was full of big-time runs and bruising plays.
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Getting Gordon back not only helps alleviate some of the pressure that could have fallen on Williams, but it also helps build more strength in the locker room with another veteran presence and someone who is already familiar with the culture the Broncos are trying to build under this new leadership regime.