Broncos have league’s second-best duo at one key position
With Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon, the Denver Broncos have one of the league’s best duos at the running back position?
For awhile this offseason, it looked as though the Broncos were going to break that duo apart after just one season together as Melvin Gordon hit free agency. The Broncos finally re-signed Gordon to a one-year deal about six weeks into the free-agent signing period.
That allows Gordon to reunite with his former college teammate, Russell Wilson.
Recently, Bucky Brooks wrote this piece for NFL.com in which he ranked the league’s best duos at several major positions. At the running back position, he has the Broncos’ tandem of Gordon and Javonte Williams sitting at the number two spot on the list.
Out of 32 teams in the league, only the Cleveland Browns — with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt — have a better combination, according to Brooks.
That is high praise for the Broncos, who could really be a problem offensively if they can get those two guys going in the rushing attack along with what Wilson should add to the passing game.
Last season, Gordon and Williams had as close to a 50-50 split in the backfield as you can get. Gordon and Williams each carried the ball 203 times on the season with Gordon rushing for 918 yards while Williams added 903 yards. Gordon had eight rushing touchdowns and Williams had four for his rookie season.
But that’s just in the running game. Both running backs chipped in as receivers in the passing game as well. This is what the numbers for Gordon and Williams looked like on the season, combined:
Rush attempts: 406
Rushing yards: 1,821
Average yards per carry: 4.48
Rushing touchdowns: 12
Receptions: 71
Receiving yards: 529
Yards per reception: 7.4
Receiving touchdowns: 5
Those are terrific numbers and they would stack up against any duo in the league. It’s fair to rank the Browns’ duo higher because Chubb is among the best overall running backs in the league and Hunt is as good as any No. 2 that a team has.
Next. The Broncos could trade these players before the 2022 season begins. dark
But in 2022, if Williams breaks out the way that many feel he will, and Gordon can give the team a solid lift behind him, then the Broncos have at least the next best duo in the NFL.