Stud player Broncos passed on in 2021 NFL Draft just got a huge contract

The Denver Broncos made a mistake in the 2021 NFL Draft when they traded up for Javonte Williams, as a player they passed on just signed a huge deal. This was a puzzling move by GM George Paton, and it was only his second draft pick as GM of the Denver Broncos. The first pick by Denver in the 2021 NFL Draft was CB Patrick Surtain II.

This was the offseason where Denver loaded up at CB and also signed both Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller, and they had Bryce Callahan returning as well. Anyway, 17 picks later, the Cleveland Browns got someone in Jeremiah Owuso-Koramoah who has turned into one of the best ILBs in the NFL and a do-it-all defensive players for the Broncos.

Denver has had middle-of-the-road ILB play over the last several seasons, but they would have benefitted much more by taking JOK, who just signed a three-year extension with the Browns on Wednesday:

In the 2023 NFL Season, "JOK" had the best season of his career, racking up two interceptions, six passes defended, 3.5 sacks, 101 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and five QB hits. My goodness - Owusu-Koramoah was all over the place for the Browns in 2023, and he was a key piece of the best defense in the NFL last season.

In the three seasons that Javonte Williams has been on the Denver Broncos, he has rushed for just 1,881 yards and seven touchdowns on three years. He's averaged just four yards per carry and has rushed for 50.8 yards per game. He averaged less than four yards per rush in 2023 and has not been close to the bell-cow running back that Denver has needed.

The Browns have locked him up for his prime years, and meanwhile back in Denver, the Broncos are going to start one of Cody Barton or Jonas Griffith next to Alex Singleton...

Yeah, not great, folks. The Broncos ILB unit is not bad by any means, but this team would be far better off had they taken Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah over Javonte Williams back in the 2021 NFL Draft.