The Denver Broncos aren’t going to make it through an entire season without dealing with some injury issues — that’s just not the way the NFL works.
What they’d like to avoid, if possible, is not having all hands on deck for the regular season opener against the Tennessee Titans in Denver on September 7.
That came under threat this week when news broke of a groin injury to 2-time NFL All-Pro return specialist/wide receiver Marvin Mims, with head coach Sean Payton ending several days of hand wringing when he spoke with the media on August 28.
“No serious injury for #Broncos’ Marvin Mims,” The Denver Post’s Luca Evans wrote on his official X account .”Sean Payton says he’ll be back at practice Monday. Left practice yesterday with groin injury.”
While Mims has been a key special teams player the last 2 seasons, he should have an expanded role in the offense in 2025 as the Broncos wide receivers don’t have an established WR2 or WR3 option behind Courtland Sutton — something Mims could very well be this year.
Mims Called NFL’s ‘Best Gadget Player’
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell named Mims the NFL’s “Best Gadget Player” because of his ability to do so many things and do them well.
Mims was a second round pick (No. 63 overall) by the Broncos out of Oklahoma in the 2023 NFL draft.
“Thinking about the classic idea of an undersized gadget player who moves around the formation to thrive, catches all kinds of passes near the line of scrimmage and creates big plays with the ball in his hands, Mims comes to mind,” Barnwell wrote on June 19. “Like many gadget players from years past, he adds value on special teams: He was the league’s first-team All-Pro return man in 2024, averaging an NFL-best 15.7 yards per punt return.”
Breakout Season Could Be On Tap
If you’re looking for the player on the Denver roster most likely to have a breakout season, it might be Mims after earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a return specialist his first 2 seasons.
Mims might be ready to take the next step as a focal point of the Broncos’ offense. He showed glimpses of his potential playing wide receiver with 30 receptions for 503 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2024.
There have been rumblings about giving Mims a bigger chunk of the touches since last year, when the Broncos struggled to find offensive weapons outside of quarterback Bo Nix and leading wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
“Mims can handle that quick-hitting route tree but also provides a much-needed explosive threat,” Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon wrote on Sept. 14, 2024. “He averaged a team-high 17.1 yards per catch as a rookie last season. Denver coach Sean Payton really didn’t ask rookie QB Bo Nix to push the ball downfield in Week 1. The reality is Mims’ presence alone will not demand respect from defenses, too. For opponents to truly take Nix seriously as a passer, however, the Broncos must find those moments to at least intend on taking a deep shot. Mims is the best option for that.”
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