The Broncos haven’t had linebacker D.J. Williams in the lineup for any game this season, but a judge’s ruling on Wednesday means they could have him in the lineup for the Super Bowl should they make it that far this season.
The Denver Post reports Judge Brian Campbell sentenced Williams to 30 days of in-home detention on Wednesday, two months after he was convicted of misdemeanor driving while ability impaired. Williams will not serve the sentence until after the Super Bowl, however, because Williams will not be able to wear the ankle monitor required in such situations while playing in games for the Broncos.
Williams isn’t eligible to start playing in any games until he finishes serving the second of two suspensions he earned from the league this year. This week will mark the first game of the suspension for the drunk driving conviction, which means Williams has finished the six-game ban handed down for putting something other than his own urine in a specimen bottle used for drug testing.
Prosecutors wanted Williams to spend a month in jail, but the judge said he took the NFL’s punishment into account when handing down his sentence.
It’s not clear whether or not there will be much of a role for Williams in the Denver defense come Nov. 18 against the Chargers. Wesley Woodyard has been starting and doing well in his absence.