Where does Marvin Mims Jr. fit in with the 2026 Denver Broncos? Entering his fourth season, and the final year of his rookie contract, the two-time All-Pro has voiced similar questions.
Although Mims came through big-time for the Broncos in the playoffs, the front office opted to target Jaylen Waddle in a trade, a veteran wideout of a similar prototype, though with a much more proven receiving resume.
Some have wondered whether Mims will still be on this roster by the regular-season opener. We know Mims isn’t going to be cut — he’s too valuable as a returner — but pundits like Pro Football Focus‘ Bradley Locker see him as a potential trade piece for Denver heading into training camp.
“A talented playmaker who’s flashed at times, Mims could bring his explosiveness to another team given what Denver has done this offseason,” Locker wrote.
“With the Broncos trading for Dolphins superstar Jaylen Waddle in March, it knocks Mims down the depth chart — potentially all the way to fifth behind Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant. The 24-year-old would be appealing to other clubs as he enters a contract season, especially considering his strong return skills.”
Unrealized Potential on Offense
For reasons I still don’t understand, Mims has yet to fully realize his explosive playmaking potential in the Broncos’ offense. His skills have been a marquee feature in the return game, but in each of his three NFL seasons, he has gone long stretches without much impact on offense, sometimes to the point where we’ve wondered whether he found himself in Sean Payton’s doghouse.
Last year, Mims finished with career-lows in receptions, yards, and yards-per-reception, while tying the lowest touchdown mark of his career (one). However, when injuries decimated the Broncos’ wide receiver depth chart in the playoffs, Mims stepped up, and went on to lead the team in receiving during its postseason run.
Mims made game-changing plays as a receiver in the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills, and in the team’s 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, the second of which was played without injured starting quarterback Bo Nix.
Throughout his three years in Denver, Mims has displayed a strong clutch gene, showcasing an aptitude for making plays in critical moments when all the chips are down. That’s how he closed out the 2024 campaign, and his 2025 playoff resume tells a similar story.
Mims has even shown a willingness to play running back for the Broncos. But in order for him to reach his lofty potential, he has to become more than a gadget player in the coaches’ eyes, which is another reason people see him thriving in greener pastures elsewhere. I would argue that Mims proved he’s capable of far more than that in the playoffs back in January, but the Broncos still went out and acquired Waddle, which only intensified the questions.
Because Mims is in a contract year, it’s easy to look at his situation and tap him as a potential trade piece, but there is no indication that the Broncos are thinking that way. In fact, the Broncos are far more likely to extend Mims in July or August than to trade him, even though, as recently as May 9, the team has yet to approach him about a new deal.
No Cause for Alarm
If you know GM George Paton’s history, the lack of contact is no cause for alarm. Paton likes to get extensions done in July and August, and it usually happens pretty fast once conversations commence.
Waddle’s arrival does create a bit of a logjam at wide receiver, but that’s a good problem for Denver to have, especially with how quickly the team’s depth was eroded in the playoffs. Mims may end up being the No. 5 guy on the receiver depth chart, but he’s still a team fixture because of his dynamism in the return game, which has become no less important.
With Waddle in the fold, Franklin is more susceptible to a possible trade, simply because his only contributions are on offense, and while he projects as the No. 3 receiver behind Waddle and Courtland Sutton at this very moment, that spot could easily be taken and run with by Mims or Bryant.
Franklin is more expendable, but the truth is, like Mims, he’s unlikely to be traded. With the 2026 NFL draft in the books, the first trade window passed without incident, which is likely how the Mims and Franklin situation will continue all the way up to the start of the season.
With new offensive coordinator Davis Webb taking over the play-calling duties, it’s possible we could see Mims’s usage in the Broncos’ offense increase. Webb could have a different vision for Mims than Sean Payton.
But this team hasn’t even started OTAs yet. It’s way too early to get much of a bead on these topics, as the Broncos’ first voluntary OTA sessions don’t kick off until June 2.
The Takeaway
Again, I understand how Mims looks tradable from the outside looking in (contract year/questionable role), but as the first draft pick of the Payton era, his impact on the Broncos has been great, which is pretty impressive, considering that he’s only scratched the surface as a receiver. He made the Pro Bowl and the A.P. All-Pro Team as a returner in each of his first two seasons, joining Von Miller as the only Broncos to ever achieve that feat.
In the NFL, money is the love language, and the Broncos will soon communicate to Mims and the fans exactly how they feel about him. At this moment, he’s way more likely to get extended this summer than traded.
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