ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Training camp is officially underway, and Javonte Williams has already caught Head Coach Sean Payton's attention.
Following the Broncos' first acclimation practice, Payton was asked which players stood out during an initial 90-minute session at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.
Without yet having the advantage of reviewing the day's film, Payton pointed to the Broncos' leading rusher from 2023.
"I thought Javonte looked real sharp," Payton said.
Payton said Williams has lost some weight and looked "trim" as he approaches being two years from a 2022 season-ending injury.
"[He] looked much different," Payton said. "His weight's down, and I'm proud of him."
Payton said Williams' decision to shed weight stemmed from an offseason conversation during which Payton and Williams watched the running back's college film from North Carolina.
"I was watching his college tape in the draft room one day, and he walked in," Payton said. "And again, he was injured last season, so this was a tough offseason. This time of the year, we were watching all the runs. I'm asking him questions and I said, 'This is the back I want. What'd you weigh here?'"
Payton said running backs, wide receivers and cornerbacks can sometimes unintentionally add weight as they join an NFL-level strength and conditioning program, but he prefers players at those positions to play closer to what they weighed late in college or early in their NFL careers. Payton also said Williams had already planned to lose some weight when he returned in the spring, but the conversation helped further cement the decision.
With a noticeable burst on Wednesday, Williams will look to return to the production of his rookie year, when he averaged a career-high 4.4 yards per carry and 7.3 yards per reception as he totaled more than 1,200 total yards and seven touchdowns.
Williams, though, wasn't the only player Payton gave a nod to as training camp began.
Payton also identified Greg Dulcich, who returned to the field after missing the offseason program due to injury, as another player who stood out on Wednesday.
"It was good to see Dulcich back out there and him moving around," Payton said.
Dulcich appeared in just two games in 2023 as he battled injury, but he showed his potential in 2022 as he caught 33 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games as a rookie.
Payton said he would spend more time after practice watching the film of the Broncos' three quarterbacks and the defense, but he was pleased with the way his team returned to the field after the summer break.
"I thought, overall, I was pleased with the tempo," Payton said. "Guys look like they've been working. Their weights were good when they came in. That was good."
Payton said the team "moved around well" and finished practice ahead of schedule.
The Broncos will soon practice in pads, but the next several days will require players to balance making an impression without moving too fast.
"That's the hardest part, because guys want to go fast," Payton said. "Guys want to make a good impression. We struggle with that in that OTA period as well. Until the pads come on, you have to work with each other. I think it's the hardest for the offensive and defensive linemen. Both are trying to win a certain gap. It's a little bit easier outside. The further away from the ball, it's a little less challenging. At some point, someone acquiesces inside so that you can have a drill and stay off the ground."
On Wednesday, though, the Broncos took the next step toward accomplishing their main objective of training camp.
"Look, the most important thing we do here in the next month is find the right 53," Payton said.
