Broncos RB Javonte Williams tears ACL, LCL and posterior lateral corner; Out for season

[paul-mac]

Latavius Murray signed from the Saints PS. Instantly our best RB. 

[lomaxgrUK]

Like the signing. No way he plays this week, hopefully we can get him up to speed relatively quickly. Shanny always found a way in his stretch zone Offense.

[Broncofan]

6 hours ago, lomaxgrUK said:

Like the signing. No way he plays this week, hopefully we can get him up to speed relatively quickly. Shanny always found a way in his stretch zone Offense.

He’s too upright to last.   But he will be a far better 12-15 carry guy than MG3.   And he can catch the ball ok - which means it won’t give away our O on pass vs. run when he’s out there.   
 

I wouldn’t completely dismiss him playing on TNF - just as short yardage back.   I can’t think the coaching staff trusts MG3’s ball security in close right now.   But yeah he’ll need time to pick up the rest of the playbook.   
 

It’s still a massive downgrade though from Javonte.   I liked the Boone signing but as a ST plus guy and someone who could spell a few touches - not become the focus of the run game.    Just Paton couldn’t go with MG3 / Boone.   Good move for sure.  

Edited October 4, 2022 by Broncofan

[1234567]

The posterolateral corner is an area on the outside of the knee that acts as a junction for about half a dozen different ligaments and tendons. If he tore a bunch of those on top of his ACL and LCL, he’s never going to be the same. What’s crazy is that the actual play didn’t look all that bad. Probably been tackled like that a million times. What a tough loss. 

[jolly red giant]

17 hours ago, 1234567 said:

The posterolateral corner is an area on the outside of the knee that acts as a junction for about half a dozen different ligaments and tendons. If he tore a bunch of those on top of his ACL and LCL, he’s never going to be the same. What’s crazy is that the actual play didn’t look all that bad. Probably been tackled like that a million times. What a tough loss. 

Yea - that was the first thing that struck me - feel sorry for the kid - he was just getting into his stride as a top tier RB.

[broncos_fan _from _uk]

Tearing the PLC and the LCL is a bit of a misnomer. LCL is a term that’s not really used much anymore. What used to be called the LCL is now appropriately referred to as the FCL (fibular collateral ligament) and the PLC. 5-10 years ago when guys had a “complete LCL tear” this is what they were talking about, a PLC and FCL tear. 

[AnAngryAmerican]

1 hour ago, broncos_fan _from _uk said:

Tearing the PLC and the LCL is a bit of a misnomer. LCL is a term that’s not really used much anymore. What used to be called the LCL is now appropriately referred to as the FCL (fibular collateral ligament) and the PLC. 5-10 years ago when guys had a “complete LCL tear” this is what they were talking about, a PLC and FCL tear. 

So Josh, as you’re a MD, is it as bad as 1234567 says? And 1234567, if you’re a MD or in the medical field as well, I apologize, not trying to dismiss your point which seems very well informed. 

[broncos_fan _from _uk]

11 minutes ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

So Josh, as you’re a MD, is it as bad as 1234567 says? And 1234567, if you’re a MD or in the medical field as well, I apologize, not trying to dismiss your point which seems very well informed. 

So I’m just a ER (A&E for our commonwealth friends) doc. I make initial diagnoses, stabilize, resuscitate, ect. But I don’t operate or rehabilitate.

I have a buddy from med school who’s an orthopedic surgeon and is finishing up his knee fellowship. exactly the expert to ask. He’s the one who gave me the tidbit above.  He said that depending on the injury to the PLC (completely shredded vs minor tear vs  avulsion (where the bone insertion site pulls away from the rest of the bone)) it could be a non factor to career ending. Usually it’s not completely shredded so it doesn’t add much more to what rehab he’s already going to have to undergo. I guess we’ll find out more after he goes to the OR. 

[1234567]

44 minutes ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

So Josh, as you’re a MD, is it as bad as 1234567 says? And 1234567, if you’re a MD or in the medical field as well, I apologize, not trying to dismiss your point which seems very well informed. 

Oh no, I’m not an MD, and hardly an expert. I’ve always just been super into physical fitness so I know quite a bit about anatomy; at least I terms of where things go and what they’re called. From my experience in long distance running a lot of those tendons and ligaments (as well as the IT band) can become extremely problematic when they get irritated. If he legit tore some of them, I can’t imagine that he would ever be quite the same. But I would LOVE to be completely wrong and misinformed in this particular situation lol so I’m hoping that I am. 

[AnAngryAmerican]

Thanks both of you! 

[Broncofan]

One thing about Javonte's running style that may help him - he's not a super quick-twitch, change of direction, sudden burst guy.    He's a power runner who gets low, keeps his pad level low, and has incredible balance, so he stays moving forward when he gets hit (much like Alvin Kamara has insane balance, albeit nowhere near the same power).   Couple that with great vision & motor and 1-cut decisiveness, it's less about insane quickness, or twitchiness that made Javonte such a beast.   In that respect, the ACL injury is absolutely devastating, but the skills he relies on most, they may translate well as long as his ACL recovery is uncomplicated. 

That skill set above doesn't need the same kind of quick-twitch return of the 100 percent athletic skill set to be successful.    Having said that, I would still caution ppl not to get too excited even if he does come back next year to start the year.  Because the 18-month window to get all the athletic full spectrum of quick-twitch abilities still applies.   Courtland Sutton is living proof of that right now, but we see it time and again - first season back you're happy to have them back, but they're not near peak.  Year 2 post-ACL, that's when you hope to see it all come together.

Different injury, but the reason why Javonte may still be very effective mirrors why James Robinson is so effective with JAX right now.   He was not about quick-twick, sudden change of direction, or burst.   His Achilles injury has almost certainly robbed him of those qualities - but his running style doesn't need it as much.   If a guy like Travis Etienne gets an Achilles or an ACL, though - his style is definitely going to be more affected.   For guys like OBJ, 100 percent it's going to affect him even when he's back.   But the balance/power/vision back, the burden isn't quite the same.   Something to keep in mind with Javonte - still a long road back, and realistically, 2024 is when we hope to see the real Javonte, even if we're fortunate enough to get him back on the playing field for the start of 2023.

Edited October 6, 2022 by Broncofan

[Broncofan]

BTW, in case it wasn't clear by the eye test, the metrics really show Javonte's drop off to MG3 & co.:

 

 

EPA is not universally embraced, as the methodology makes sense (a 57 yard run to the 1 has more EPA than the 1 yd TD...well except with our squad lol), but it hasn't really translated to predicting future results (kinda the goal lol).  But the point being if we look at Javonte compared to MG3..ugh.   It's a small sample size (the issue with only 4 games), but the eye test kinda already showed it.   Just stark how bad MG3's been.  I guess the optimist can say there's nowhere to go but up lol.

Edited October 6, 2022 by Broncofan