The Broncos will not have running back Javonte Williams back in the lineup this season because he tore his ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders and Melvin Gordon’s play so far this season has created some doubt about his ability to carry the load.
Gordon has fumbled four times on 45 offensive touches, including one that the Raiders returned for a touchdown in their 32-23 win. The Broncos have Mike Boone and they signed Latavius Murray off the Saints practice squad, but head coach Nathaniel Hackett suggested Gordon will get the chance to show he can take better care of the ball in the weeks to come.
“Melvin’s a true pro,” Hackett said, via the team’s website. “This is a guy that’s been doing this a long time. He’s harder on himself than anybody. He’s part of our team. We love the guy. He knows that there was a mishap right there, and it’s a great opportunity for him to get right back out onto the field and prove himself, and we’re excited to be a part of that and put him in great positions to be able to make plays. We’ll watch him do some good things. He had our first touchdown two weeks ago. I thought he ran real hard. He’s run the ball really well. He’s going downhill, he’s exploding through the hole. We want to see that continue. Like I said, he’s a true pro, and I expect him to step up and have a great game.”
If Williams were healthy, the Broncos might feel differently about throwing Gordon back out there after his latest fumble but the circumstances are what they are and it looks like that will buy Gordon another opportunity against the Colts on Thursday.
