Here's Why Broncos Have Been Linked to So Many WR Prospects

The Denver Broncos would be remiss to pass on partaking in the 2025 NFL draft's wide receiver class.

Nov 9, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos have sat idle at wide receiver this offseason, outside of adding Trent Sherfield to play special teams and occasionally block. The Broncos haven’t added a legitimate playmaker to the position and are betting on developing their young corps.

However, that could prove costly. The Broncos should be looking to add a wide receiver via the NFL draft.

It all starts with Courtland Sutton, who is currently in the final year of his deal and looking for a significant pay raise of over $20 million annually. On top of that, he turns 30 in October, and wide receivers tend to fall off a cliff with their play around 31 years old.

That could make it difficult for the Broncos to determine the length of a Sutton extension. The final component is that, despite his performance with the Broncos last season and his chemistry with Bo Nix, Sutton has still been floated in trade rumors. 

Then there's Devaughn Vele, a 2024 seventh-round pick. Vele produced the most receiving yards for a rookie drafted in the seventh round since Marquez Colston, formerly of the New Orleans Saints.

Many believe in Vele's potential to be a good or even great receiver in the NFL. He was an older rookie, though, and there are questions about how much room he has to grow. 

The Broncos traded up to draft Troy Franklin in the fourth round last year, a college teammate of Nix. It was a rough rookie season for Franklin as he struggled with catching the ball over his shoulder. He was somewhat helpful when he was turned to face the quarterback, which limits his ability to utilize his speed for explosive plays. 

Finally, there is Marvin Mims Jr., who has been a great special-teams player as a returner but has struggled to find consistency as a viable receiver. That means that, while he has impacted offense, it has become more gadget-type than traditional receiver usage, so after two years in the NFL, there should be doubts about his viability, though Mims' flashes to close last season still provide some hope. 

So, the Broncos' receiver room currently has three young developmental guys and one guy nearing the end. That isn’t exactly a lot to hang your hat on.

Even with A.T. Perry, whom many Broncos fans have high hopes for, his inability to see the field last season throws a wet blanket on that optimism. It's also not the wisest move to place a lot of faith in a player with 12 catches in his career, even in two years. He is a former sixth-round pick, so it isn’t like he is a high draft pick who has yet to realize his potential. 

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Team Visits

The Broncos have brought in two of the top four receivers for a team visit. The Broncos have also met with receivers who are all projected as late-round picks, and the latest buzz claims the team is willing to trade down from the 20th overall pick in the draft. Insiders like 9NEWS' Mike Klis have highlighted the wide receiver position increasingly as it relates to Day 1 of the draft.

While the draft class this year isn’t great at the top, there's no such thing as a weak wide receiver class anymore. There's always good depth, which is the case this year.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released “The Beast," his annual draft guide, and he had 14 receivers graded in the first three rounds, and 19 in the first four. This is where many believe the meat of the class lies. 

There's also a wide range of prototypes in this receiver class who can fit any mold or role Sean Payton may want to field. The Broncos had enough interest in free agents Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs to at least call and check on the asking price, which was ultimately too high for them to be involved.

Draft options like Kyle Williams (Washington State), Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech), Nick Nash (San Jose State), and Efton Chism III (Eastern Washington) can all fit that mold. Tetairoa McMillian (Arizona) is the top receiver for many, and he has drawn many comparisons to Michael Thomas, who had a great career under Payton in New Orleans when he was healthy.

Luther Burden III (Missouri) is one the Broncos brought in for a visit, and he has similarities to Deebo Samuel. Still, the Broncos already have a gadget-type receiver in the aforementioned Mims. Matthew Golden (Texas) is the other receiver Denver had for a visit, and he's a better version of Franklin. 

Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State) is the last receiver of the top four. While Egbuka may not have the highest ceiling, he has the highest floor of the top four receivers. He's also a mold that the Broncos don’t have in their current receiver room makeup. 

The Broncos have more potential in their receiver room, which is getting more hype than it may deserve. The Broncos shouldn’t bet on the room without adding more talent.

It doesn’t have to be in the first round, but the earlier, the better. There is good depth, but there comes a point where the ability to contribute as a rookie becomes more doubtful. Not impossible (see Vele), but less likely. 

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This is also before accounting for the fact that receivers are getting paid a lot in the NFL. A team's second receiver got $30 million annually this offseason, so adding a talented receiver on a rookie contract allows the Broncos to spend elsewhere over the next few seasons while they also have a cost-controlled rookie quarterback. 

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