5. Drafting RB Javonte Williams (2021)
Did the Denver Broncos get it right with Javonte Williams? The guy who was a frequent of Angry Runs looked nothing like himself in 2023, a crucial year for both he and the Denver Broncos as a whole.
Williams was compared by some in the Denver Broncos' draft room back in 2021 to a combination of Nick Chubb and Ezekiel Elliott thanks to his ability to create yardage after contact and get a borderline unstoppable head of steam in the open field.
Unfortunately, Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury early in 2022, and had to work his way back from that injury in 2023. The Broncos undoubtedly needed Williams to play like his usual self in 2023 because they didn't exactly load up at the running back position in the offseason. The Broncos brought in Samaje Perine as a pass-catching specialist, and he didn't even reach 100 carries last season.
Williams' effectiveness per carry was down last year. His ability to create yardage after contact was nowhere near what we'd seen in 2021. He was seemingly running directly into contact. He wasn't as effective as a receiver, averaging 3.9 yards per target compared to 6.0 yards per target as a rookie.
We've got to have some grace because he was coming off of an injury, but the Broncos traded up to the 35th overall pick in that 2021 NFL Draft to get Williams, who played second-fiddle to Melvin Gordon in his rookie season, and now he's in the final year of his rookie deal. The Broncos aren't going to see the benefits of getting him on his rookie deal anymore after this season, and we're not even sure we can rely on him as the RB1 for 2024.