The Denver Broncos had a few players really step up this year when called upon, and they deserve bigger roles in the 2025 NFL Season. Regardless of how badly the Broncos' lost in the Wild Card Round, the season has been a roaring success. The Buffalo Bills make the playoffs every year and are seen by many as a Super Bowl contender.
They looked like it against Denver. The Broncos had snapped an eight-year playoff drought, and the team could only go so far with a rookie QB, limited weapons, and limited experience. The Broncos did shatter expectations this year, and there were a few players that emerged on the team in 2024 who most certainly deserve bigger roles in 2025.
Let's dive into them here.
3 Denver Broncos players who proved they deserve a bigger role in 2025
Marvin Mims Jr, WR
Marvin Mims Jr most definitely took a step forward in 2024. He again earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for his work as a return specialist, but there was obvious growth with him as a wide receiver. While much of what Mims did was a big play down the field, you can see the potential.
If the second-year WR can hone in on some of those underneath routes and not just be a one-trick pony with the long ball, the Broncos have something here. In 2024, Mims caught 39 passes for 503 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 12.9 yards per reception and had several big plays as a wide receiver this year.
The 2025 season will be huge for Marvin Mims. It feels like he's right on the cusp of putting it altogether as a wide receiver. He most definitely deserves a bigger role next year.
Jonah Elliss, OLB
Jonah Elliss was a pleasant surprise in 2024. Despite being just a 21-year-old rookie and being in a room with the best pass rush in the NFL, he was still able to make his mark as a rusher in 2024. Elliss played in all 17 games but appeared in just 38% of the defensive snaps. The rookie was still able to rack up five sacks, 38 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and six QB hits.
Mind you, he did this in just 38% of the defensive snaps. If we take his production in 2024 and average it out over the amount of snaps that Jonathon Cooper played in (820, 71%), Elliss would have been on pace for nine sacks, 72 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 11 QB hits.
The rookie OLB gave the Denver Broncos legitimate production in 2024, and should see the field more in 2025.
Kris Abrams-Draine, CB
The rookie CB from Missouri was put into a high-stakes situation late in the Denver Broncos win over the Cleveland Browns late in the 2024 NFL Season. He seemed to hold his own, and Kris Abrams-Draine also got some run against the LA Chargers as well, picking off Justin Herbert in the end zone. While it was a small sample size, it's clear that KAD plays with a ton of confidence, and according to Pro Football Reference, the rookie allowed a passer rating of 34.6.
He allowed seven receptions on 16 targets for 85 yards and one interception. Appearing in just five games total in 2024, Abrams-Draine notched just 123 defensive snaps, but there is reason to belieive he could take a leap in 2025.
And while the Denver Broncos have a very strong CB trio of Patrick Surtain II, Ja'Quan McMillian, and Riley Moss, Kris Abrams-Draine might be fighting for more snaps in the secondary.