WR Marvin Mims Jr. Tapped as Broncos' Breakout Player of 2024 by PFF

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has been busy remodeling the wide receiver room through additions and subtractions for much of this offseason.

Courtland Sutton has not participated in any of the team's voluntary offseason workouts in hopes of landing a new contract, although he has two years still left on his deal. As long as rumors circulate about the still-absent WR1, things will remain in flux, and other receivers could fill the vacuum.

Pro Football Focus has examined potential breakout candidates this coming season for every AFC team. Given the Broncos' current pinch at wide receiver, it's reassuring that PFF has Marvin Mims Jr. pegged as the team's breakout player in 2024.

For now, Courtland Sutton remains in orange and blue, but trade chatter continues to surface. Even with Josh Reynolds and Troy Franklin inbound, there’s something to be said about Mims improving in his second season. Although his 64.6 receiving grade wasn't spectacular, Mims’ deeper numbers — 7.1 yards after catch per reception and a 15.2 average depth of target— suggest better production could be on the horizon.
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New faces like Franklin and Reynolds will add some pop to the unit, but finding a deep-ball threat remains a pressing issue. Mims' explosive skill set best fits the traditional NFL deep receiver job description.

PFF also goes on to point out that Mims' 7.1 yards-after-catch average makes him a dynamic option to exploit once he gets the ball in his hands. If you're trying to stretch the field, the 22-year-old special teams ace's 15.2-yard average depth of target suggests he can get behind opposing defenders.

If Tim Patrick and Sutton can be counted on to move the chains and convert in the red zone, perhaps Mims will be tasked with streaking downfield more consistently. Mims is currently riding high after garnering All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for his kick-returning skills — it's a positive career trajectory but developing him into a bonafide NFL pass catcher had its roadblocks last year.

Even Sean Payton has admitted that he struggled to fully utilize Mims' full range of talents. Poor quarterback play from Russell Wilson certainly didn't help matters.

But neither did the presence of the now departed Jerry Jeudy in the Broncos lineup. The Broncos tried to force the Jeudy issue, hoping to get a return on that first-round investment, but Mims won't be in that shadow moving forward.

"I really think the only thing that really stopped his progress as a receiver was us trying to find roles," Payton said back in late February. "He's playing the same position as Jerry."

In the final analysis, Jeudy's trade to the Cleveland Browns instantly swept away all the previous roadblocks to Mims cracking the lineup. At least in theory, more snaps are out there for Mims, especially if he can carve out a niche as the Broncos' dedicated downfield speed burner.

Still, Mims has to refine his route running while also minimizing some of the lapses in concentration that led to untimely mistakes on special teams. PFF has probably identified the right potential breakout player on the Broncos' roster, but maximizing Mims' vast potential will require both inspiration and application this year.

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