Marvin Mims Jr. Admits Frustration, Doubles Down on Broncos

If this ends up being his last year as a Bronco, Mims is planning on enjoying it.

"But if this is my last year, I look forward to doing it with these guys because I've had a great time here in Denver these past three years," Mims said.

With the arrival of Jaylen Waddle, Mims's place with the Broncos becomes even murkier. For reasons no one at Broncos HQ has been able to articulate, Mims hasn't been given a starter's seat at the offensive table — not unless the coaches are desperate due to injuries.

That being said, when his number has been called — whether as a receiver, a running back, or a gadget weapon — Mims has answered the bell, and he remains one of the NFL's most dangerous returners. He's been especially impactful in clutch-time moments and led the Broncos in receiving in the playoffs six months ago.

"I think I've proved it time and time again just in different stretches, different opportunities," Mims said via Stevens. "I feel the coaching staff kind of knows what they're going to get from me. I love making plays. I love being out there doing the things I can do. Really, it's just whatever the team needs from me."

Not Immune to Irritation

Mims acknowledged that the Broncos haven't always put their former second-round pick in the most advantageous spots to thrive on offense. That has "irritated" him at times, but it hasn't affected his love for the Broncos, this city, or the fan base.

"Sometimes I'm not in the most fortunate situations. Sometimes I am a little irritated with my situation," Mims said. "But at the end of the day, I'm blessed to be where I am today, standing right here where I am. I love Denver. I love this city. I love the fans. I love the atmosphere. I love my teammates. I love my coaches, so with this possibly being my last year, I'm going to just enjoy it to the fullest. Go into it care-free and just play my hardest because we have a real chance to do something extremely special."

Mims could say that again. Despite a tough first-place schedule, the Broncos have the chance to build on the impressive foundation they established last year, winning 14 games and the AFC West. This team came one ill-timed Bo Nix injury away from punching a ticket to the Super Bowl, and with so many key pieces returning, Mims sees big things on the horizon for the Broncos.

The Utmost Faith in Nix and Webb

And Mims doesn't sound worried in the least about Nix's health and recovery from ankle surgery.

"Bo's coming back strong. He's going to have a great season, as he always does," Mims said via Stevens. "He's an exceptional leader. So I'm excited. I'm excited."

Throw in the promotion of Davis Webb to offensive coordinator, and Mims can barely contain his excitement. If the Broncos could just get his contract figured out, he could be in store for a big Year 4.

"Coach Webb has a real edge to him, so he wants to go out there and perform and do all the great things, the flashy stuff, the hard-nosed stuff," Mims said via Stevens. "And we've talked about it as an offense. It's going to be exciting."

Waddle Raises All the Ships

The Broncos prioritized the retention of their 14-win roster from last year, returning 90% of their snaps. Denver also made the massive trade to acquire Waddle, and drafted running back Jonah Coleman in the fourth round, two additions that Mims sees making a big impact.

Waddle's impact, specifically, could open things up for everyone else on the offense, including the running backs, because it won't be so easy for defenses to load the box.

"Yeah, I think it can open a lot of things up," Mims said of Waddle's presence. "I mean, with RJ [Harvey], J.K. [Dobbins], Jonah, the running back room, Jaleel [McLaughlin], 'T.B.' [Tyler Badie]," Mims said via Stevens. "We've got a great tight end room coming back that performed really well for us last year. We've got a lot of receivers coming back that did some good things, especially the younger guys, and now we're adding Jaylen to that mix."

In Mims's opinion, opponents will face a true pick-your-poison proposition when game-planning against the Broncos, thanks largely to Waddle.

"I mean, it's really like pick your poison. Teams will have to game-plan us differently," Mims said. "We'll see what they do. But I look forward to Jaylen out there. I mean, whoever else is going to be out there matched up with him, whatever they're running, it's going to be tough. It's going to be tough to see who you want to take away. We've got really like two proven vets out there."

The Big Question

Mims recently fired his former agent and hired Athletes First, a massive organization with a great track record of getting its clients paid. The reality is, the Broncos already know whether Mims is part of the long-term picture.

The issue that could delay the Mims extension timeline is figuring out how to pay him. The big question is, does he want wide receiver money or All-Pro returner money?

The answer is probably somewhere in between, but if he wants to stay in Denver, Mims will have to be realistic about his accomplishments as a receiver. Once GM George Paton gets on the phone with Mims's new reps, though, it probably won't take long to get to the bottom line and get something done.

Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that it won't. When it comes to extensions for the Broncos' key players, Paton usually gets them done in August, sometimes in July.

Training camp begins in earnest on July 28, and from there, Paton could make short work of getting with Mims's new reps and ironing out a deal. Mims has been the ultimate team player.

The Takeaway

Mims has brought accolades to the Broncos and as been a big part of the team's rapid turnaround over the past three years. Yeah, there are penty of other mouths to feed, but the symbolism of Mims not only being the first Payton draft pick but also being a two-time All-Pro will come to bear on this decision.

It's not done until it's done, but I don't think the Broncos are going to keep Mims guessing too much longer. Get through the six-week NFL summer, and things should start opening up when training camp hits.