The Denver Broncos helped address their need at the running back position after Javonte Williams’ season-ending injury, adding a reliable veteran to the roster. How will Latavius Murray impact the Broncos rushing rotation and will he play on Thursday Night Football?
Denver Broncos sign Latavius Murray
On Monday evening, the Broncos poached New Orleans Saints running back Latavius Murray off of their practice squad after Javonte Williams season-ending injury.
Murray is a nine-year veteran who was originally selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft.
He spent 2021 with the Baltimore Ravens where he actually took on the Broncos in Week 4. In the Ravens’ 23-7 victory over the Broncos, Murray rushed 18 times for 59 yards.
As a member of the Saints in 2020, Murray ran wild over the Broncos’ defense in the Kendall Hinton quarterback game. The ninth-year veteran ran 19 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the Saints’ 31-3 win.
The addition of Murray gives the Broncos offense a reliable veteran option who can run the ball effectively, protect the football, and provide help in pass protection.
In Week 4 as a member of the Saints, Murray rushed 11 times for 58 yards and a rushing touchdown in a 28-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Broncos general manager George Paton wasted no time making a move to help solidify the RB room fresh off the heels of Williams season-ending ACL injury.
The million-dollar question surrounds whether or not Murray will play on Thursday Night Football when the Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts.
At this point, it seems unlikely Murray plays on Thursday considering the short turnaround from Sunday to Thursday. Not to mention, Murray just played in a London International Game.
However, anything is possible in the NFL. Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett mentioned in his Monday press conference that the team has technology built into their playbook that helps accelerate the learning process for a new player.
“From the standpoint of bringing in a running back, anytime you bring somebody in, it’s always hard to get them caught up with everything,” Hackett said on Monday. “We have a nice little learning platform for guys, because this is what happens in the league. No matter what happens, you’re going to have some injuries. Guys are going to come in, they’re going to help you right away and so we have a nice little, like I said, a learning platform, interactive stuff that we’ve put together so that they can start learning the system like it was day one.”
It will be interesting to monitor how the addition of Murray impacts the Broncos rotation at the RB position with Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone throughout the remainder of the season.
The Broncos will be back on the practice field on Tuesday for a brief walkthrough as they hope to preserve the health of several players dealing with injuries.
