Marvin Mims Jr. showed up on Day 1 of Broncos camp and immediately made the kind of noise that can change a conversation.
For the last three years, Broncos fans have been saying the same thing: get Mims the ball. Denver has rarely seemed to fully tap into what he can do, even though he’s been productive when targeted, an All-Pro returner, and one of the team’s most dependable big-play threats.
That matters even more now because Mims is in the final year of his rookie deal. He’s heading into his fourth NFL season, and he has already been open about how the arrival of Jaylen Waddle appears to complicate his role in the offense. So the runway is short, and every strong practice carries a little extra weight.
On Friday, Mims gave the Broncos plenty to think about.
Broncos beat reporter Luca Evans noted that one early team-period play featured Mims in motion, part of a call that stood out for new offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Evans also pointed out that Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle were already working through a quick-game connection, while Evan Engram looked new and Mims was “very involved” with a “diversified route tree.”
That last part is the one that jumps off the page.
Mims has long been viewed as a player with a narrow lane in the offense - the kind of receiver who can stretch the field or get the ball in the screen game, but not much beyond that. If Denver is truly expanding his route inventory, that changes the entire picture. It also makes the motion element more interesting, because a player who can move pre-snap and win in different spots becomes a much harder puzzle for defenses.
That’s especially notable given how little Mims has actually been on the field. He’s played 1,060 career snaps and has never topped 40 percent in a season.
The Broncos may be using camp to see whether he can handle more than the role they’ve given him so far. And if he can, the door opens a little wider on the possibility of a new contract and a bigger place in the offense and special teams plans moving forward.
The practice reports backed up the idea that Mims was everywhere. He had multiple explosive plays, including a pass from Jarrett Stidham that went for 35-plus yards and another from Bo Nix that went for 50-plus with Riley Moss in tight coverage.
Sean Payton said earlier this offseason that Mims is one of the players he wants to get more involved on offense. On Day 1, the Broncos looked like they were actually trying to make that happen.
If Mims keeps stacking days like this, Denver’s decision at the end of his rookie contract gets a lot more complicated. And if the Broncos let him walk after this, it’s going to look like a major miss.
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