The Denver Broncos have said they plan to use a running back rotation this season, but Javonte Williams is listed as the starter on the depth chart.
Last year, Melvin Gordon and Williams had a near-even split in touches, but Gordon was on the field first as the team’s official starter. It seems that the two backs have now swapped roles going into the 2022 season.
“I think they want ‘Vonte’ to be the guy, but we do rotate,” Gordon said Wednesday. “He’ll take the first series and then the second series with the [No. 1 offense], I’ll take. Sometimes we switch, but you know kind of how it is. I don’t know how they will do the rotation. I have to go back and look at how they did things in Green Bay with the carries and things like that.”
Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett served as the Packers’ offensive coordinator from 2019-2021. Last year, Green Bay had a near-even split between Aaron Jones (223 touches) and AJ Dillon (221 touches).
Denver might employ a similar rotation this year, but even if Williams does pull ahead in the rotation, Gordon has taken a team-first approach.
“I have to do what it takes — ‘Hack’ [coach Nathaniel Hackett] told me coming in, it’s about the Super Bowl. It’s about winning the Super Bowl and we are going to do whatever is best for the team.
“I’m bought into that 100% because I want the ring more than anything. I do feel like I can help this team, so when I get in, I have to show that.”
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