Sean Payton built the Denver Broncos with two things first.
A kicking game and the offensive line.
And it turns out, that strategy worked.
Sean Payton built the Denver Broncos by addressing the return game and the O-line first
In what seemed like an ordinary question about Marvin Mims, Sean Payton decided to give insight into how he and general manager George Paton built the Denver Broncos two years ago.
“I think you recall, I think he was our first draft pick, George [Paton] and I,” said Sean Payton when talking about Marvin Mims. “I remember there were two things we felt… It’s been embedded in me: the quickest way to improve a team is the kicking game and get the offensive line squared away.”
It’s a very interesting concept. Some might say you would want to start building a team with a quarterback. Others might say to start with a defense. Building around a strong offensive line definitely makes sense, since they have to be solid for any offense to develop. But to then go for a kick return man is seemingly out of left field.
“We didn’t have a returner,” Payton continued. “I remember when we were watching his [Mims’] film, we knew he was a captain at Oklahoma. We knew he was an accomplished receiver, but he was also we felt one of the better returners, if not the best returner, in the draft. When you check those vision boxes, the way we were able to with him. Then I would say he’s exceeded our expectation as to what type of guy he is, how he works, what kind of teammate he is. Honestly just coming out of a staff meeting, we have to continue to find more touches for him on the offensive side of the ball, and we’ll do that.”
Mims, taken in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft at No. 63, was Payton and Paton’s first pick. He started his career somewhat slowly, like many receivers do, and some of that may have been due to Russell Wilson’s poor play at QB. He was a very good kick return man, though.
2024 was a breakout season for Mims, both as a receiver as well as a punt returner. He scored six touchdowns on offense, all of them coming in the final seven games of the season. And he was No. 1 in the league in yards per punt return (15.7) as he became a First-Team All-Pro as a returner.
This year has been a bit up and down for Mims as a receiver, but he leads the league in punt return yardage to this point. And his 48-yard punt return touchdown on Sunday was a thing of beauty.
[Highlight] Marvin Mims with a Miraculous Return for the TD
byu/The_Throwback_King innfl
“And then, I don’t know what the numbers are, but when you score in special teams or you score on defense, you’re over 80% winner,” Payton said Sunday. “It was amazing, because from my angle, which was pretty right there, to see Mims come out of that pile, that was a big play.”
So, maybe that’s why Sean Payton built the Denver Broncos with a punt return man first. That 80% stat is significant.
For Mims, it was his first ever punt return touchdown. He had one kickoff return touchdown in 2023.
Next up for Payton, Mims and the Broncos (11-2) is hosting the Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) this Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium. That game kicks off at 2:25 p.m. MT on Sunday, Dec. 14.
