The Denver Broncos are set to kick off their offseason program at the beginning of June, and the new offseason marks the beginning of a clean slate for a lot of players on the team. It's also an opportunity for some to show the coaching staff just how much work they've been putting in since the season ended.
The Broncos, maybe more than anyone in the NFL, have prioritized player development and continuity. While mid-to-late-round draft picks might be considered expendable by other franchises, the Broncos have invested in their players to a significant degree. That category would include 2024 4th-round pick Troy Franklin, a third-year receiver whose role in the offense expanded significantly in 2025.
Franklin finished last season second on the team with 104 total targets, catching 65 passes for 709 yards and six touchdowns.
Even with the arrival of Jaylen Waddle, Franklin has a chance at OTAs to make himself impossible to ignore this offseason for the Broncos.
Denver Broncos WR Troy Franklin can make his ascent undeniable with strong start to OTAs
Franklin's catch rate went up by nearly 10 percent this past season, which is significant because he had about half as many targets as a rookie as he did in his sophomore NFL season.
The Broncos believe in Franklin's ability to contribute to the offense both now and going forward for a few really obvious reasons. He's got outstanding size and speed at 6-foot-3, running a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash when he came out of Oregon.
And we've seen that speed has been a major factor at the NFL level as Franklin has been able to win vertically, even if he hasn't capitalized on all of the downfield opportunities.
One of the more underrated areas of his game, one which the Broncos have yet to fully unlock, is his ability to create after the catch. Franklin is crafty in space and has good vision with the ball in his hands. We have seen the Broncos try to manufacture him some quick touches in the passing game, but with mixed results.
The key for Franklin going forward is going to be nuance in his route running abilities. If he can get open on a more consistent basis, he's going to be really tough to cover one on one. The Broncos brought in a new wide receivers coach this offseason -- Ronald Curry -- to hopefully help get the best out of some of their young receivers.
One of the primary issues the team has been having -- aside from lack of separation from the receivers -- is dropped passes. Franklin has been a culprit in the past, but cut down his drop rate considerably from 2024 to 2025 (5.7 percent to 3.8 percent). And again, that's notable due to the fact that his target share nearly doubled.
Franklin had a number of huge games for the Broncos last season, and was one of the team's most consistent red zone weapons. He's proven he is ready for a heavier workload going forward, but he's going to have to earn those looks now with Waddle in the mix.
He can make his presence undeniably felt by showing he's mastered the offense going into training camp, being physical as a blocker, and catching everything thrown his way.
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