The Broncos have one of those roster problems every team wants and every receiver hates: too many bodies, too few spots.
With training camp approaching, Denver has to sort through an overloaded depth chart and trim it all the way down to 53 players, with only 47 available on Sundays. That squeeze is exactly why a player like Troy Franklin suddenly looks a lot more interesting than he did a few weeks ago.
At first glance, Franklin doesn’t scream trade candidate. He just turned 23 in February, and last season he finished second on the team in targets.
By most accounts, it was a real step forward after a rocky rookie year in Denver. He also had his share of big games, including 8 catches for 89 yards in a tight loss to the Colts, 6 catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys, four catches for 84 yards in a close win over the Chiefs after a rough first half, and 85 yards on six catches against the Packers, a game that featured one of Bo Nix’s best touchdown throws of the season.
But the deeper you dig, the less secure his spot looks.
Franklin was second on the team in targets last year almost by default, and the Broncos were clearly testing how he would handle a bigger role. Now the picture has changed. Denver’s aggressive pursuit of Jaylen Waddle pushes everyone else down a rung, and Franklin’s path to targets now looks like third in line at best unless injuries shake things up.
There’s also the late-season snap trend. From Week 10 through the end of the regular season, rookie Pat Bryant averaged 38 snaps per game, while Franklin averaged 33.8. That gap may not sound huge, but it marked a noticeable shift from the first half of the year, when Bryant wasn’t seeing much action.
Sean Payton also made it clear earlier this offseason that Marvin Mims Jr. is very much in the mix for a bigger offensive role.
“He doesn’t need to convince us. I feel like each week when we go into game planning, we’re always talking about certain things, and his name, I know, comes up from me.
Every time we continue to ask him down the field, give him these opportunities, he takes advantage of it. He’s been very consistent.
It’s just a matter of getting those touches. But very important games, even in Buffalo-I could point to a number of games.
It’s a good problem to have, but he’s doing well.”
- Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
That’s where Franklin’s situation gets tricky. He doesn’t contribute on special teams, he lost snaps to Bryant, the Broncos brought in Waddle, and Payton wants Mims involved more often. If Franklin opens camp as the fourth or fifth receiver, his name becomes a lot easier to circle.
And Denver has shown it’s willing to make uncomfortable decisions at receiver. The Broncos traded Devaughn Vele over the past two offseasons and cut Tim Patrick the year before.
They also have other options they like, including Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Michael Bandy, and they added Hakeem Butler to the offseason roster. There are even some intriguing UDFAs who could help on special teams.
So while Denver can absolutely celebrate its depth, it also has to deal with the reality that not everyone can fit. Franklin may be one of the names most worth watching once camp starts.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans Wont All Agree On This Marvin Mims Trade Idea
Marvin Mims Jr. keeps popping up in the kind of trade chatter that tends to split a fan base, because his value to the Broncos is easy to see from more than one angle. He has been one of the leagues most dangerous kick returners and has already earned two Pro Bowl nods in his first three seasons, while also flashing as Denvers most consistent deep threat when the offense has let him stretch the field.
Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated a scenario in which a late-round 2027 draft pick could come back to Denver for Mims, but the timing makes the conversation more complicated than a simple sell-high debate. Mims is still under contract for 2026 and wont hit unrestricted free agency until after that season, so the Broncos would have to decide whether the return now is worth giving up a player who still has room to matter both on special teams and in the passing game. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Week 1 Suddenly Carries A Massive Mahomes Shadow
The Broncos season opener already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now it carries a little more weight with Kansas Citys quarterback situation hanging over it. Denver and the Chiefs are set for a Monday Night Football showdown to open the 2026 season, a stage that would have plenty of attention even before the matchup got a fresh layer of intrigue.
Patrick Mahomes has said he wants to be ready for Week 1, but his return is not something he can simply declare on his own. The final call will come down to the medical side and the coaching staff, which leaves Denver with a familiar opponent and an uncertain one at the same time, after the Broncos swept Kansas City in last seasons series. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Made An Unusual Bet On An Undrafted Linebacker
The Broncos made a notable small-swing investment in Taurean York, signing the former Texas A&M linebacker as an undrafted free agent for the 2026 season. York arrives with real college credentials, having started for three years and worn a captains badge twice for the Aggies, but his path to the NFL was slowed by questions about his size rather than his rsum.
Denvers interest says plenty about how it views the linebacker room heading into camp. With the roster needing more reliable depth and special teams help, York has a chance to carve out a role if he can translate that leadership and production into pro-ready play, and the contract the Broncos gave him shows how strongly they wanted to get him in the building. [Read more 🡒]