The Lead
On Tuesday, the Broncos welcomed a very special guest at practice on Day 6 of training camp as Terrell Davis joined our daily live show. The former All-Pro running back, who won back to back Super Bowls with the Broncos, shared his thoughts on the upcoming Pro Football Hall of Fame induction of former teammate Steve Atwater, who serves as the show's host.
Davis, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017 after racking up three All-Pro nods and 1998 league MVP honors, has undeniable respect for Atwater, who will finally receive his gold jacket on Friday.
The two Broncos legends overlapped for four seasons in Denver, and were both big playmakers in the Broncos' Super Bowl wins during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Davis looks at Atwater as a "big brother," and fondly remembers the guidance he received from the former Broncos safety when they were teammates, despite playing on opposite sides of the ball.
"Steve would always give me advice," Davis said. "From the defensive side of the ball, he would always tell me, after the play or after the period was over, he'd come over and say, 'Hey man, keep your head up – 'cause you're getting super low and you could get hurt,' or 'On this play when you started looking to your left, I knew you were going over there.' So he would just give me tips like that."
Atwater boasts an incredibly successful tenure in the NFL – a perennial Pro Bowler (eight selections) with two first-team All-Pro seasons to his name – and Davis can't believe how long his friend has had to wait so long to join him in the Hall of Fame.
"This is long overdue," Davis said. "This is ridiculous it’s taken this long for [Atwater] to get in. I’ve always said that Steve should have always been in [the Hall of Fame]."
This weekend, that well-earned honor will finally come to fruition. With Davis and other fellow former Broncos legends beside him, a full year after he was elected to the Hall of Fame (and the 2020 Class' ceremony was postponed due to Covid-19), Atwater will finally put on his gold jacket.
Below the Fold
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah believes rookie running back Javonte Williams will make an "immediate impact" for the Broncos this season.
Denver's second-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, Williams joins a Broncos running back room that already houses a bevy of talent in veterans Melvin Gordon III, Mike Boone and Royce Freeman.
Despite his rookie status in the league, Jeremiah believes the former North Carolina rusher is ready to make noise in the backfield.
"He can do everything," Jeremiah said. "He can run with power inside the tackles, he can get to the perimeter, he makes people miss."
Not just a danger on the ground, Williams will also be a menace to opposing defenses as a receiving option.
"To me, it's what he does in the passing game," Jeremiah said, "his ability to catch the football."
In addition to his dual-threat potential, Jeremiah expects Williams to quickly contribute in another capacity for Denver as well.
"In pass protection, for a young back coming into the league, he is outstanding," Jeremiah said. "[If] you watch [Williams' game against] Virginia Tech last year, you can see him fold up one of their linebackers like a blanket."
