The Broncos made a big move when they traded a lump of their draft capital over to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Acquiring such a big player that will automatically be inserted into the lineup means that some of the other receivers in Denver will be pushed down in the pecking order, with some being pushed out completely. The team’s main wide receivers last season were Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Pat Bryant. With Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Michael Bandy playing supporting roles.
What Does Jaylen Waddle’s Arrival Mean for Broncos Wide Receivers?
Sutton Is Safe
Courtland Sutton has been the team’s clear number one receiver for several years. He’s coming off back-to-back 1000+ yard seasons and hauled in 15 touchdown passes across that same time period. Some may question why the Broncos even needed Waddle to begin with after reading his stat lines, but it’s deeper than numbers. Sutton is primarily known for his deep ball and vertical route efficiency, and is widely considered one of the best contested ball catchers in the entire league. However, within 10 yards, on short, quick routes, he’s not as effective. But that’s where waddle can complement him nicely. His speed and shiftiness in tight areas allow the Broncos to progress the ball in the passing game in a whole other way.
Troy Franklin’s Role
There’s an argument to be made that the player who will be negatively affected the most by Waddle’s arrival is Troy Franklin. Franklin is coming off a good sophomore season, where he had 65 receptions for 709 yards and 6 touchdowns. A good but not great second jump, especially if you’re trying to look for a future number one option. Additionally, he plays a very similar game to Waddle. He likes to operate inside on short, quick routes, and it can be expected that Waddle will eat a lot of the targets inside, while Sutton operates on the outside. Franklin will still get his reps in, but considering the capital that the Broncos gave up to get Waddle, and what he’s done in the past, it’s hard to imagine that he would be above Waddle in the depth chart.
Pat Bryant’s Opportunity
There’s still a good reason to believe that the Broncos won’t give up on Pat Bryant. The rookie didn’t have the best first season. He had 31 receptions for 378 and a touchdown. But as the season went on, he was used more and more in the offence, and by the playoffs, he had an actual role. It showed that the coaching staff had faith in Bryant even as a rookie. He brings a different element to this receiving room as a speed guy who can operate on the outside, similar to Sutton. His chances will be far and few between, but when they come, he must deliver, and with a good sophomore season, he could even challenge Franklin for the third spot on the depth chart.
Marvin Mims Jr. – Odd Man Out?
Lastly, there is Marvin Mims Jr. from the main Broncos receiving core. Who can very much be seen as the odd man out. He had 37 receptions for 322 yards and one touchdown. Which isn’t a great showing, however, he did contribute on special teams as well, being the main kick returner. But special team roles don’t necessarily always guarantee you a spot on the squad. Towards the back end of the season, when the Broncos had all their receivers healthy, he saw the lowest snap share amongst the 4 players mentioned, with only a 38%. Coupled with the fact that he saw his snap share drop significantly in the playoffs to 15%, it’s clear that faith in Mims Jr. diminished as the season went on, and Bryant was able to overtake him as wide receiver three. So once you add Jaylen Waddle to the picture, his snap share is gonna drop even more. This could lead to him taking on a strict special teams role unless he’s able to gain the trust of the coaching staff once again. It’s expected that Franklin and Bryant could make a jump, and if that’s the case, it could lead to Mims Jr. potentially getting a fresh start with a new squad.
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