Troy Franklin vs. Xavier Worthy: Identifying Broncos' Best WR Fit
Tim Patrick and Lil'Jordan Humphrey are returning to the Denver Broncos, but Courtland Sutton's status is still up in the air, and Jerry Jeudy has been traded. The Broncos are re-working their wide receiver room, and this is an excellent draft for the position.
Making the receiver room younger and cheaper will help the Broncos while searching for a new quarterback. But who are some of the top options for Denver to consider?
Let's take a look at two home-run threats who could add a missing explosive element to the Broncos offense.
Troy Franklin | Oregon
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Weight: 176 pounds
- Arm Length: 31-7/8 inches
- Hands: 8-3/4 inches
- Relative Athletic Score: 8.94
Pros
While Bo Nix gets much attention, Franklin is his primary weapon. Franklin had over 100 yards receiving in eight of 13 games in 2023, and averaged 17.1 yards per reception. He brings good speed and quickness, which help him elude defenders in space.
Franklin's release package is clean and consistent, which helps him get off the snap from press coverage. He understands some of the nuances of route running and how to stack defenders and use leverage throughout his routes. When he threatens vertically, the coverage has to respect it, and he can snap his routes off to create instant separation.
The acceleration is excellent and it makes life difficult for opposing defenses. Franklin has good hops to get up and high-point the ball out of the air.
With his quickness, Franklin snaps routes, making him a threat on slants and in routes. Defenses must also respect the playmaking ability with the ball in his hands due to his speed and agility and how quickly he transitions into being a ball carrier.
Cons
While he has a good frame, Franklin is lanky and can be easy to tackle if defenders can get to him. You can't use him as a blocker on the outside, as the physical side of things is not there. Physicality issues also appear when protecting the catch point.
Franklin's hands are inconsistent, and drops are on tape, which is a major concern entering the NFL. He isn't a contested catch guy due to his issues protecting the catch point.
Franklin's route tree isn't overly refined; some routes are not part of his game. There's concern about how quickly he can pick them up and show the needed nuance on those routes. He is also inconsistent with his ball-tracking and doesn't always snap his routes; instead, he will round them out.
Fit With Broncos
Franklin would bring another explosive element to the Broncos passing game. He's more of a deep threat than anything and can still work with Marvin Mims Jr.
The Broncos could work exceptionally well to create spacing and confusion among defense when lined up on the same side. However, to make them even more dangerous, Franklin must develop the route tree significantly and quickly.
Big Board Position: No. 47 overall.
Xavier Worthy | Texas
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
- Height: 5-foot-11
- Weight: 165 pounds
- Arm Length: 31-1/8 inches
- Hands: 8-3/4 inches
- Relative Athletic Score: 9.39
Pros
Worthy is a track star playing football, but he has some refined football techniques. Defenses have to respect the speed of the new NFL Combine 40-yard dash record holder. Not only is he a threat to take the top off the defense, but he's a threat underneath who can outrun defenders with the ball in his hands.
Due to his speed, Worthy is a natural space creator, and teams have to adjust to account for him. He's an excellent decoy option and could be highly effective with option routes. His ball-tracking ability improved significantly from 2022 to 2023, and he still has room to improve.
While he won't break through tackles, Worthy is a threat because of his speed, and if the first guy doesn't bring him down, he is off to the races. His agility is exceptional, and his routes are even more dangerous because he can snap his routes consistently for instant separation.
Cons
Thin. Exceptionally thin. Worthy also has a small frame and doesn't have much room for added mass without losing what makes him such a dangerous prospect. His lack of mass makes him susceptible to contested catches, and he offers nothing as a blocker.
Worthy has a bad habit of taking it easy on specific designs, even if he is one of the primary reads. It isn't clear if it's because of issues with the routes or resting, though there are some routes he prefers to run over others. While drops are not a significant issue, he lacks timing or pacing in his routes, which can lead to problems with making the catch and opening the door for interceptions.
The route tree isn't there, and the technique is a mess outside of a few routes. Worthy can get stuck on the line against press coverage, throwing the timing off on the play. Due to the frame, there is a concern about whether he can hold up to the physicality at the NFL level.
Fit With Broncos
The Broncos need to find more explosives for their offense, having lacked them for a few years, and while Mims helped, they need more potential there. Worthy would greatly help with the potential explosives from the Broncos offense. It would give them a legit speed demon that can pair well with how the current room is built.
Big Board Position: No. 49 overall.
Better Fit for Broncos
Honestly, either of these guys is a good fit for the Broncos. Franklin and Worthy could mesh well with Mims if their route trees become more developed.
They bring explosive playmaking potential, which the Broncos severely lack. Franklin might be the better fit as there is less work to develop the route tree, but it's by a very slight margin.
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