The Denver Broncos selected quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2024 draft.
They still have to go through training camp and the preseason.
But Nix appears to have the inside track on the starting job. If so, he could get off to a hot start thanks to a pre-existing connection with Broncos fourth-round pick Troy Franklin.
“Familiarity will help Troy Franklin as part of the Denver Broncos,” Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski wrote on June 19. “While everyone must wait to discover whether it’s a positive or negative shift, one thing is certain: Nix should have a favorite target out of the gates with Franklin also joining the squad.
“If their connection is anything like at college, the rookie wide receiver could turn out to be a tremendous draft-day steal.”
Sobleski listed Franklin as one of the players drafted outside the first round who could “erupt.”
He is coming off a strong final season in college, racking up 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns on 81 receptions. He also helped Nix set the single-season NCAA record with a 77.4% completion rate last season.
His addition with Nix has garnered the nickname “Denver Ducks” from former Broncos running back Reuben Droughns.
Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler identified Franklin as the Broncos’ “most dangerous” addition.
“His explosiveness and game-changing speed should fit well in Denver,” Fowler wrote on May 26. “He should quickly elevate the Broncos’ underwhelming group of pass-catchers, particularly after they traded Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns this offseason.”
Troy Franklin Faces Stiff Competition for Playing Time in Broncos’ Offense
Sobleski points to the presence of veterans Courtland Sutton and Josh Reynolds as well as youngster Marvin Mims Jr. as obstacles standing between Franklin and significant playing time next season.
The Broncos also saw Franklin’s fellow draftee Devaughn Vele make some promising plays during the offseason program.
Veteran Tim Patrick Jr. could be poised for a resurgent season too.
It all points to Franklin having a long way to go before he secures a steady role in the Broncos’ offense. But that is where his familiarity with Nix could give him an edge. The Broncos will want to put Nix in the best possible situation to succeed if he is named the starter.
Being comfortable and confident in his receivers goes a long way in that. Nix is already stepping into an entirely new situation.
Additionally, Sutton missed the voluntary portion of the offseason.
He also left the door open for a potential holdout during training camp. Meanwhile, Reynolds has never operated as anything more than a WR3 at any point in his career. Broncos head coach Sean Payton expects big things from Mims, a Pro Bowl return man in 2023.
Giving Franklin a chance to earn as many reps alongside his college teammate could be a prudent way to streamline Nix’s transition to the NFL.
Troy Franklin Could Have Leg Up on Former Super Bowl Champion for Role
The Broncos boast a deep receiver room, with 12 players currently under contract. But only five of them – Franklin, Mims, Reynolds, Sutton, and Vele – are under contract beyond this season.
That could give Franklin a leg up on the likes of Super Bowl champion Phillip Dorsett, who the Broncos added to the incumbent group of Michael Bandy, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson, David Sills, and Jalen Virgil.
Patrick is a wild card, making his way back after missing two seasons with injuries.
