The Most Important Broncos Extension Candidate Entering Training Camp

Denver Broncos training camp is almost here, and it will bring the future of several key players into focus.

The Broncos have a handful of starters and contributors entering a contract year, including cornerbacks Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian, safety Brandon Jones, tight end Evan Engram, and left guard Ben Powers.

Few expect Denver to extend Jones, Engram, or Powers, but Moss and McMillian are top candidates for a new deal. With GM George Paton's track record for extending top players weeks into training camp, there will be an air of expectation surrounding the candidates in question.

The one who should take precedence, though, I have yet to name: wide receiver/returner Marvin Mims Jr.

Why Mims Should Be the Priority

Some readers might be taken aback by my Mims assertion, especially since cornerback is considered one of the four NFL foundational positions for a championship roster.

Fortunately, the Broncos have plenty of good cornerbacks, including the very best guy in the league in Patrick Surtain II, and a 2025 first-round pick waiting in the wings in Jahdae Barron.

But there's only one Mims. He might be a backup wide receiver — for reasons nobody can really articulate — but he's an elite returner.

Mims is a weapon, and a valuable one at that. Very few players can do what he does in the return game. He's a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball, especially on punt returns.

Mims's returns have put points on the board and flipped field position for the Broncos, leading directly to wins. On top of that, he's a talented wideout who has been egregiously underutilized in that respect, but his most recent playoff performance made the following all too clear: the longer the Broncos drag their feet in carving out a role for him on offense, the more yards and points they're leaving on the table.

Mims, not Courtland Sutton, led the team in receiving during the Broncos' playoff run. His usage was driven by an injury calamity that forced Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant to miss time, but Mims, as always, answered the bell when his team needed him most.

Other Factors

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) gains yardage against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

A couple other factors that make Mims the priority:

He's the first draft pick of the Sean Payton era.
As the first draft pick of the Payton era, Mims has historical achievements.

It's one thing to be Payton's first draft pick as Broncos head coach. It's another thing altogether when that draft pick becomes the only player in Broncos history besides Von Miller to earn Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons.

The symbolism with Mims and this regime, and his connection to the Broncos' rapid turnaround, can't be overstated. And because he's a symbol, that locker room will be watching closely to see how the Broncos handle his pending contract situation.

If the Broncos can't find the budget to bring back one of the most decorated draft picks of the Payton regime, and a guy whose fingerprints are all over the 32 wins the team has posted over the three years he's been on the roster, it would send some mixed signals to the locker room.

On top of that, Mims has been the ultimate team player. Despite his lack of usage on offense, he hasn't made it an issue publicly or complained in the press, as other wideouts are known to do.

Mims never mentioned anything even approaching frustration with his role until this offseason, after the Broncos traded for Jaylen Waddle. Even then, it's not like Mims actually complained.

"Sometimes I'm not in the most fortunate situations. Sometimes I am a little irritated with my situation," Mims said back in June. "But at the end of the day, I'm blessed to be where I am today, standing right here where I am. I love Denver. I love this city. I love the fans. I love the atmosphere. I love my teammates. I love my coaches, so with this possibly being my last year, I'm going to just enjoy it to the fullest. Go into it care-free and just play my hardest because we have a real chance to do something extremely special."

All things considered, it would be understandable if Mims were to take a more bitter tone publicly, but he hasn't. He acknowledged being "irritated," but punctuated that remark by talking about how much he loves his team, Denver, the fans, and his coaches. That doesn't sound like a diva to me.

The Broncos asked Mims to play some running back in 2024. He obliged, with gusto and with zero complaints. They've used him in a gadget-type role, and again, no complaints; just effort.

When Mims has been featured in the offense as a receiver, he's produced at a high level. I've already mentioned his playoff contributions just a few months ago, but let's also not forget how he performed at the end of the 2024 season, when the Broncos were so close to clinching a playoff berth.

Denver did eventually clinch, but Mims had a lot to do with that, turning in back-to-back two-touchdown games to close the 2024 campaign. That was followed by him being iced out of the offense in 2025; he would go on to post a career-low in receptions and receiving yards, only to make a huge statement in the playoffs.

The Takeaway

For the sake of Mims and the team, the Broncos need to make him the priority when it comes to Paton's summertime extensions. McMillian and Moss are also deserving, but it's high time Mims was rewarded for being the clutch-time killer that he's been and the ultimate team player.

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