The Denver Broncos have a good No. 1 receiver in Courtland Sutton, but the team needs to find someone to step up next to him. Even with Evan Engram to help take attention away from Sutton and provide Bo Nix with another veteran weapon who can create mismatches, the Broncos still need their receiver room to step up and seize the No. 2 spot.
With Broncos training camp only a couple of weeks out, let’s examine each receiver case for stepping up into that No. 2 role, and what could keep that from happening. We will be looking at the receivers most likely to make the roster, so the undrafted rookies are excluded.
Devaughn Vele
The Case For
As a rookie last season, Vele had some success in the Broncos' offense and demonstrated good versatility in his usage. Even with some drops and chemistry issues, he still showed he can be reliable when called upon.
Those are two issues that, with a year under his belt, Vele should be able to develop and improve to be even more reliable.
The Case Against
Vele suffered an injury during offseason programs that could put his return to the field in jeopardy, depending on how quickly he recovers. While he performed well as a rookie, the drops are a concern, as they occurred in critical moments.
If Vele can’t improve on this, it would be hard to trust him as the No. 2 receiver. His best work also came as a big slot, so can he improve when it comes to working on the boundary more frequently?
Pat Bryant
The Case For
The Broncos' rookie third-rounder has looked great through the offseason programs, and while many question his explosiveness, Sean Payton isn't one of them. Bryant is pretty well-rounded.
Now, the NFL is a different game from college football, but Bryant has proven himself to be physical, reliable, and a good route runner. He can work in multiple ways when it comes to his utilization in Payton’s offense. The versatility is also there, which can help him see the field early and often.
The Case Against
Payton's scheme can be challenging to grasp, and even though Bryant has been praised for his football IQ, it could still lead to issues. Bryant is also a rookie, and while he has looked good through offseason programs so far, it's a far cry from actual games.
Marvin Mims Jr. & Troy Franklin
The Case For
The Broncos can use more explosive plays in the passing game, and both of these receivers can bring those explosive plays. Mims has proven himself to be a deep threat who can line up anywhere on the field and make something big and exciting happen.
While Franklin has been hit-or-miss, he has demonstrated the vertical speed to attack deep and possesses some of the qualities necessary to be successful off screens. Both have a lot to work on, but Payton praised both during the offseason workouts.
The Case Against
When it comes to Mims, he will have to show he can be more than a gadget receiver. His route running needs improvement, primarily in and out of breaks and speed variation — the nuances, so to speak, to compensate for his smaller size.
Franklin's route-running needs significant improvement on the shorter and intermediate routes, as well as his reliability as a receiver. His catching was problematic last season, and his ball tracking was even worse. As a deep threat, Franklin struggled to track the ball over his shoulder.
