Evaluating Broncos' Options to Replace Marvin Mims Jr. If He's Traded

Even though trading Marvin Mims Jr. doesn’t currently make much sense for the Denver Broncos given his returner abilities, he is still in the final year of his contract and hasn’t found a consistent role on the offensive side of the ball.

The Broncos have to figure out whether he carries more value on an extension and how much a hypothetical new deal would weigh against possible trade options.

The simple fact of the matter is, Mims continues to be mentioned as a trade piece by analysts and media outlets, even if the reasons against it are far more plentiful than the reasons to do pull the trigger on one.

So, if the Broncos did decide to trade Mims, who would they have to replace him with?

The Lack of Contingency Plans Denver Has

The unfortunate news is that they don’t have many options, which adds to the pile of reasons not to trade Mims.

Michael Bandy was the guy who stepped in last year on punt returns when Mims missed a few games, and needless to say, that didn’t go well. He isn’t an overly explosive returner option and struggled to securely field the punt.

Sean Fresch Jr. and Kolbie Katsis are two new additions to the team, but they are still unknowns when it comes to the NFL level with their returner ability.

Fresch did well in the UFL as a returner, and Katts was sought after by Darren Rizzi for his returner ability, which he displayed in college. However, the NFL is a different level than the UFL and the college game, so how they can translate remains to be seen.

Maybe Denver can get improvement from RJ Harvey as a returner, who saw some reps there in 2025 as a rookie, but a mistake against the New York Giants in 2025 ended his time there.

Jan 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (12) runs with the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Denver then turned to Tyler Badie, and while he had flashes, it wasn’t good enough to be a consistent kick returner.

That about ends Denver's options to replace Mims, but the issue is that three of them have only had opportunities on one type of return, while the other two are complete mysteries. So, there would be a big risk for the Broncos to turn to one of them, as Mims's return has been such a consistent boost to the Broncos' offense, especially when they have struggled to find a rhythm.

Bottom Line

To put things bluntly, Mims is a two-time All-Pro returner, once as a punt returner and once as a kick returner. Replacing that will never be easy, either by trading for someone sometime soon or by letting him walk in free agency after this season is over.

So, whatever the Broncos' decision is outside of giving him an extension, they will need to be prepared to see a potentially significant drop-off in how much of a threat their return game can be.

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