The Denver Broncos receiving corps is largely unproven, but there could be reason for optimism in 2025.
Denver has absolutely invested into their weaponry on offense in recent years. If we include the running backs, the Broncos have added players like JK Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Pat Bryant, Evan Engram, Troy Franklin, and Devaughn Vele in recent years.
The team is clearly wanting to bring in 'their guys' and are trusting in the coaching staff to develop them. However, the unit as a whole is still largely unproven, so perhaps we should not get too excited until the team can prove themselves on the field.
Broncos receiving weapons ranked 22nd by PFF
Denver's receiving corps was given a below-average 22nd ranking by PFF, and this is honestly a fair assessment:
"22. DENVER BRONCOSTrevor Sikkema
The Broncos earned a team 67.7 PFF receiving grade in 2024, which ranked just 28th in the NFL. But their outlook is better for 2025. Courtland Sutton still leads the way after posting a 77.0 PFF receiving grade last season, and DeVaughn Vele and Marvin Mims Jr. earned 70.0-plus marks, too. The arrow is pointing up for Denver.
The team also added tight end Evan Engram, whose potential to be a 100-target player will be a welcome piece of the puzzle after Lucas Krull led all Broncos tight ends with just 23 targets in 2024."
The main reason for optimism in 2025 and why this ranking can skyrocket is the new arrivals in Pat Bryant and Evan Engram potentially making a huge impact, and second-year players like Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin hitting their stride.
Going from year one into year two can bring a huge leap for many players, and with a high-end receiving tight end in the picture, that figures to unlock a new level in the passing game. Marvin Mims Jr is another wild card in this room, as he's turned into quite the weapon as a return specialist. His third year could potentially see him put it all together as a receiver himself.
There is a lot of 'what if' with the Denver Broncos receiving corps, and that's a reason why they are ranked so low, but the ceiling is quite high. George Paton and Sean Payton have done a nice job at identifying talent, so you have to think that the recent receiving additions they've made will ultimately pan out for the best.
If not, the team could be looking at hitting a bit of a wall on offense and not seeing much improvement. This could impact the entire team's performance in 2025 and prevent them from making that leap into contention.