The Denver Broncos offense was a roller coaster in 2023 in Sean Payton’s first year as head coach and play caller. Part of his job is to ensure that second-year wide receiver Marvin Mims gets more opportunities this upcoming season.
Marvin Mims is preparing for a more featured role inside of the Broncos’ offense
Marvin Mims had every right to be frustrated last season as the Broncos offense sputtered out after a promising early start. For Mims in particular, he showcased in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders exactly how dangerous he could be.
He hauled in two catches for 113 yards and one touchdown in the first half that helped the Broncos go up 21-3. In the second half, he didn’t see a single target again and Denver ended up losing 35-33 in the second half.
In the Broncos Week 4 comeback against the Chicago Bears, Mims helped set up Wil Lutz’ game-winning field goal by hauling in a 49-yard catch in the final two minutes of the game.
From that point forward, Mims downfield utilization or targets decreased and he saw more looks on gadget plays like end-arounds and jet motions, which led to negative yards produced in most cases. That’s not on Mims, that’s on coaching.
Sean Payton has acknowledged that the coaches could have used him more effectively last season as Denver tried to figure out how to generate offensive rhythm. With Courtland Sutton leading the way with ten touchdown catches and seeing the bulk of targets, and Jerry Jeudy seeing the second most targets, Mims opportunities dwindled on offense.
“Without making a comparison first, I’d say with [WR Marvin] Mims [Jr.], we saw him flourish as a returner,” Payton said back at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I really think the only thing that really stopped his progress as a receiver was us and trying to find roles. He’s playing the same position as [WR] Jerry [Jeudy]. I’ve said this a number of times, I think you’re going to see a lot of growth with this player. He’s tough, he can run and we’re certainly excited that we have him. I think the key is for us—and I say us as coaches in game planning—is evolving. Every time we’ve kind of put his name on a certain play, he hasn’t disappointed. That doesn’t mean the ball always went to him but the point I’m making is I think his progress was hampered a little bit more with the depth in the room, in what we were able to do and sometimes trying to balance that out. I think we’ll see that expand.”
He had 22 catches on 33 targets for 377 yards and one receiving touchdown. Nine of his 22 catches moved the chains for a first down, but for a player with his speed and athletic ability, 33 targets in 16 games is a travesty for a player the team traded up to get in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
One saving grace for Mims’ rookie season was his impact on special teams, which led to him receiving his first career Pro Bowl nod as a returner.
Now, Mims is anticipated to have a more featured role inside of Denver’s offense with the departure of Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns and with Tim Patrick and Courtland Sutton each having one-year remaining on their contracts. The opportunities will be there for Mims.
“Let’s start with [former Broncos WR] Jerry [Jeudy],” Payton said on Monday at the Annual League Meeting. “I’m excited for him and his opportunity. He and I had a pretty close relationship. Obviously, he was able to get a new contract. As coaches, you want to see that for your players. [WR] Marvin [Mims Jr.] will certainly be a candidate to play more snaps because of that, and there’ll be some competition, I’m sure.”
#Broncos HC Sean Payton on Marvin Mims’ outlook after the Jerry Jeudy trade:
“Marvin certainly will be a candidate to play more snaps because of that, and there will be some competition, I’m sure.” pic.twitter.com/Lt5t6uXgxZ
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) March 26, 2024
This means that Marvin Mims will have the opportunity to see more playing time but will likely compete with players like Jalen Virgil and Phillip Dorsett, who possess speed and can play a similar role inside the slot.