Courtland Sutton‘s extension talks certainly can include a point that the former John Elway draftee’s 1,081 receiving yards last season more than doubled the next-closest Broncos weapon. Although Denver was linked to Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka in Round 1, the team did not make a significant investment at the position this offseason.
As Sutton’s negotiations continue, a sizable gap still appears between he and the rest of the Broncos’ wideouts. One of the team’s holdovers, though, did make noticeable progress during last season’s second half. The stretch run Marvin Mims put together last season looks to have him positioned to be Sutton’s top sidekick in 2025, as the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel notes the former second-round pick is the Broncos’ most likely WR2.
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Mims did not see too much time at receiver as a rookie, playing 38% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps. Denver was believed to be eyeing an increased role for the Oklahoma product after trading Jerry Jeudy, but Mims actually ended up with a lower snap rate (27%) in his second season. The deep threat, though, made considerable progress during the season’s second half.
After sitting on just 15 receptions for 56 yards through nine games, Mims totaled 32 grabs and 447 yards during the final eight. This included a 93-yard score in a shootout win over the Browns and two crucial TDs to force overtime in a Week 17 loss to the Bengals. Mims, 23, has been more impactful as a return-game presence in earning back-to-back first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner. But his elusiveness jumps out among the current Broncos’ receiving corps.
Sean Payton‘s first draft featured the Broncos lacking first- and second-round picks, thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, but the team traded back into Round 2 for Mims at No. 63. While the Broncos could certainly use Mims’ explosiveness in an offense that features some big-bodied contributors at the position, the dynamic returner has yet to command a starter-level usage rate through two seasons.
The Broncos used fourth- and seventh-round picks on Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele, respectively, last year and saw each log more offensive snaps than Mims’ 297. Franklin played 37% of Denver’s offensive snaps as a rookie, while Vele — his final-round status notwithstanding — trailed only Sutton in terms of WR usage by playing 54% of the team’s snaps on offense. Vele, who is already 27 despite going into his second season, impressed during OTAs. The Broncos also used a third-round pick on Illinois’ Pat Bryant, a 204-pound prospect who posted just a 4.61-second 40-yard time at the Combine. The presences of Vele, who goes 6-5 and 210 pounds, and Bryant along with the 6-4 Sutton leave room for Mims’ explosiveness in Denver’s offense.
Connections to Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs surfaced earlier this offseason for the Broncos, but no close ties to Keenan Allen or Amari Cooper emerged. It appears Denver will go with its in-house group; Payton pointed in this direction before free agency. Though, the Evan Engram addition will be important to how Bo Nix‘s second-year targets are dispersed. The Broncos still appear to be counting on Mims to build on his late-season form and be a regular offensive contributor for the first time in his career.