If the Denver Broncos are going to take the next step as a team in 2025, they are clearly going to be [relying heavily on young players on offense](https://predominantlyorange.com/broncos-recent-draft-pick-being-put-on-notice-with-jk-dobbins-news-01jwyhzcafm2) to make it happen. The Broncos made some key additions to the roster in 2025, but Evan Engram is the only veteran the team has added to the offensive weaponry (so far).
Head coach Sean Payton has been bullish about his young group of wide receivers dating back to very early in the offseason when he told Kay Adams in an interview that he didn't think receiver was as big of a need as the masses maybe did. Whether or not Payton has _good reason_ to be bullish about his young receivers remains to be seen. This area of the team was a consistent problem for the Broncos last year, an offense that struggled with three-and-outs and dropped passes.
But in year two, nobody looks more like a "new version" of himself than Troy Franklin -- literally.
Franklin has swapped into the No. 11 jersey this season and is feeling more confident going into year two.
Broncos WR Troy Franklin has new number and renewed confidence in 2025
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The Broncos released a clip from the first week of OTAs with Franklin catching a pass from Bo Nix, and the 10-to-11 connection was on just like we once saw from the two of them with the Oregon Ducks offense.
Sure, it's just one clip, and it's just the second week of OTAs, but this is an encouraging sign from Franklin to start things off in the offseason program.
Wouldn't people be freaking out if there were negative reports about him coming out of OTAs?
The Broncos need a big year two jump from Franklin, which has been talked about among the media and fan base a ton already this offseason. But with the Broncos passing on veteran receiver options despite some big names crossing GM George Paton's desk (Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, and Stefon Diggs, to name a few), it's up to these young guys to prove Sean Payton right, or he's going to look a little silly for believing in them.
The Broncos took a number of calculated risks last year with young players like Riley Moss at cornerback, and it worked out well for them. Not every young player is going to step up when they are given sink-or-swim opportunities, but Franklin's confidence is being built this offseason brick by brick.
It's not out of the question to think he could ascend to WR2 in Denver with a strong offseason, at least in terms of total targets.