The Denver Broncos needed a major move on the offensive side of the ball, and after the quiet start to free agency, many fairly wondered if that move was ever going to come, but it did. Sending the Miami Dolphins a first-round pick in 2026 and some change, the Broncos landed Jaylen Waddle, a true burner who can also run routes at a high level.
Heck, Waddle can do a bit of everything and is the type of receiver this team was missing, The Broncos offense got better as soon as news of this trade broke, and the Broncos now have what it takes to make a huge leap on offense. Quarterback Bo Nix also finally has a strong supporting cast as he approaches a major third year in the league.
But adding Waddle to the mix does create a bit of a logjam at the position, and some immediately bega to wonder if an incumbent receiver could now be on the move with Waddle in the picture.
Could the Denver Broncos trade one of Marvin Mims Jr or Troy Frankin?
John Kosko in PFF mentioned both Marvin Mims Jr and Troy Franklin as potential trade assets for the Broncos this offseason:
"Denver Broncos: WR Marvin Mims
The Broncos recently traded a premium asset for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, creating a crowded and talented receiver room. With that surplus, it makes sense that one of the younger options could become expendable — most notably Marvin Mims Jr. or Troy Franklin.
Neither player has fully broken out in Denver, but both offer speed and field-stretching ability. While neither would command significant draft capital, Mims likely carries more value due to his added impact as a returner."
Both Mims and Franklin have been floated as potential trade pieces, even by Broncos fans. Mims just turned 24 years old, is an All-Pro returner, and is already in year four. Franklin nearly tripled his production from 2024 into 2025 and is only set to be in his age-23 season in 2026.
Both players could continue to carve out notable roles with the team, as Mims' return ability is among the best in the league, and there is reason to believe that a new play-caller in Davis Webb will be able to involve Mims more on offense.
Franklin may now settle into more of a WR3 role with Waddle in the picture, but that could end up benefitting him, as it became clear that Franklin's de-facto WR2 role in 2025 was a bit too much for him at the time.
If anything, the Waddle trade may actually hurt Courtland Sutton the most in the coming year or so. Sutton is entering his age-31 season and is on a pretty large contract. The Broncos can move on from him financially next offseason and save a bit of cap space. Furthermore, Denver could feel that Pat Bryant would be ready to step into Sutton's role in 2027, as the two players do share similar skillsets.
There could be a potential scenario where the Broncos receiver room looks like this in 2027:
-Waddle
-Frankin
-Mims
-Bryant
-A new face
If anything, the Broncos may want to continue their path forward with the young players in Mims and Franklin, as acquiring Waddle might end up hurting the second-longest tenured Bronco on the team in Sutton.