The Denver Broncos could look to remake their running back room in the 2025 NFL Season. Could a pending free agent in this room sign with this NFC team? Cole Middleton of The Vikings Age seems to think that the elite, 11-2 Minnesota Vikings could re-do their running back room in the 2025 NFL Season.
The Vikings notably took JJ McCarthy a few picks before the Denver Broncos took Bo Nix in the 2024 NFL Draft. The weird thing here is that Sean Payton admitted that he was trying to manufacture some fake interest in McCarthy, which basically forced Minnesota to unnecessarily trade up for McCarthy.
That gave the Broncos a direct shot at taking Bo Nix, which they did. Since then, McCarthy has actually had two knee surgeries, and has not played in 2024. They have since seen Sam Darnold play out of his mind, and it makes you think if they'd actually bring Darnold back in 2025. Well, the current starting RB of the Vikings is veteran Aaron Jones, but Middleton thinks that the Vikings could potentially pivot to a new face in the backfield in 2025:
"6. Javonte Williams - RB (Denver Broncos)
Can Aaron Jones be trusted anymore? That's going to be a big question for Minnesota to answer heading into the 2025 offseason. Besides the fumbles, Jones has been great, but he's getting older, and it's noticeable on the field at times.
Javonte Williams has become somewhat of an afterthought since Sean Payton took over as the Denver Broncos head coach. Williams is a bruiser who can help the Vikings rushing troubles inside the red zone immensely, while O’Connell helps develop whichever running back they select in the 2025 NFL Draft if they elect to go that route."- Cole MIddleton
If nothing else, Javonte Williams is a rugged, tough runner, but he lacks vision to be an every-down back, is not explosive, and has been horrifically inefficient at times in 2024. Williams was the Broncos second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has been a total dud of a pick if we're being honest.
The team really needs to give Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin the carries and try to remake this RB room in 2025. Javonte Williams was drafted to be the team's bell-cow running back, but that has not been the case. It's been hard at times to even justify keeping Williams on the field in any instances.
And besides an exciting carry here and there, it's been a bad season for Williams in 2024. He's averaged 3.6 yards per carry this year and has seven games this year averaging fewer than three yards per carry. He has eclipsed five yards per carry in just two games this year. Williams is unplayable, but if he's a RB2 behind a true bell-cow in Minnesota in 2025, that could yield better results for the player.
The Denver Broncos took RB Audric Estime in the 2024 NFL Draft, so perhaps they are hoping that Estime develops into an every-down back. If that's the case, Denver will be in great hands for the long-term in the backfield.
