When Sean Payton told Kay Adams back in February that the Denver Broncos' wide receiver position might be "stronger than some would think," a lot of folks (present company included) doubted his assessment. The wide receiver position was more of a liability last season than a promising position group as a whole, but the Broncos have young players they are invested in, and they weren't going to give up on them after one year.
Courtland Sutton had one of his better seasons as a pro in 2024. Marvin Mims really came on after the trade deadline. Devaughn Vele maximized his opportunities. Troy Franklin ended the year on a high note with his performance in the playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
There are ways to slice it where you can see the positive, especially when you factor in the fact that the majority of those guys (save for Sutton) are all recent draft selections. The Broncos did add to the wide receiver position in the 2025 offseason, but really only through the 2025 NFL Draft. They spent a third-round pick on Pat Bryant after tons of reports connecting Denver to the likes of Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, and Stefon Diggs.
It might only be minicamp and OTAs, but Payton's confidence in the young guys might not have been misplaced.
Broncos young receivers really stepped up at OTAs and Minicamp
Payton made note throughout the course of OTAs and minicamp his pleasure with the further development of Marvin Mims, whose breakout in the second half of last season was desperately needed for the Broncos fan base.
Payton has also done his part to hype up second-year receiver Troy Franklin.
“There’s that [saying that] repetition is the mother of learning. You’re seeing him play faster with a much greater awareness within each play. He’s extremely explosive, and I think he’s, I would say, five pounds heavier. A little thicker. He’s had a good spring.”
- Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
Payton also noted with Franklin that he believes he's got skills after the catch that the team needs to find a way to highlight within the offense. Having Franklin play with more confidence in his second season will be massive for the Broncos' offense.
Devaughn Vele was also having a huge Spring before missing mandatory minicamp with an undisclosed injury. But folks in attendance at OTAs were saying that Vele was looking like the favorite for WR2 in the offense based on how he was practicing.
Then you have the rookie Pat Bryant, who got a devilish grin out of Sean Payton after practice at mandatory minicamp.
"You like what you see? I like what I see."
Bryant has impressed with his combination of hands and route running ability, and he looks like he'll be an early contributor for this Denver offense with the way he stepped up throughout mandatory minicamp.
All of a sudden, the wide receiver position seems like it could be a major area of strength for this Broncos team. There are young guys getting opportunities, and taking advantage of them. There's no promises when it comes to development in the NFL. It's not linear and progression is not guaranteed. With that in mind, the Broncos took a gamble on this group and appear to have taken the right gamble. The receiver position could be the most improved unit on the roster in 2025.