Time to Face Reality: Troy Franklin Belongs in Broncos' Starting Lineup

Denver Broncos second-year wide receiver Troy Franklin generated a lot of buzz during training camp. He was one of the stars of camp, but the question was whether he would translate it to the preseason games.

Two games in, it's much safer to say that the year-two improvements Franklin has made are legit, although it remains to be seen with certainty whether they're lasting. The Broncos have seemingly held an open competition for the No. 2 and No. 3 receiver spots on the first-team offense, with the newly re-signed Courtland Sutton accounting for the No. 1 role.

In preseason Game 2 vs. the Arizona Cardinals, Broncos head coach Sean Payton opted to rest the bulk of his starters, which included Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Devaughn Vele. That decision gave us a good indicator on the current first-team pecking order, but with how explosively productive Franklin was in Game 2, we now must question whether he should be penciled in with the starting unit instead of, say, Vele.

Franklin caught four of five targets vs. the Cardinals for 67 yards and two touchdowns. His second score, in particular, was impressive, showcasing improved ball-tracking skills, great body control, and a feel for the ball in the air. His improvements might be difficult for his teammates to articulate, but it's palpable to anyone with a pair of eyes.

It's worth mentioning that, outside of Sutton, we can't officially list the Broncos' top three wideouts because when the first depth chart was released ahead of preseason Game 1, it came with the heavy caveat of being 'unofficial.' Mims was listed as the No. 2.

From there, we can only infer who the top three are, based on the Broncos' personnel decisions and who didn't play in preseason Game 2. Entering the Cardinals contest, though, the Broncos clearly had the top three as Sutton, Mims, and Vele, but that should change.

Why Franklin Should Start

Vele should be replaced by Franklin on the first-team offense. Now, with how often the Broncos rotate in different receivers and personnel packages, which player holds which position on the starting unit, especially at the skill positions, is often nominal.

However, Franklin has shown much, much more than Vele throughout the summer. Vele looked good in training camp, but nowhere near as explosive. Franklin has been able to create separation with both his route-running and speed.

On the flip side, Vele is more of a one-trick pony who primarily wins with his 6-foot-5, 210-pound size. Payton loves his big-bodied receivers, but it can be helpful when a wideout not only measures north of 6-foot-2, but also brings the speed and explosiveness element, as Franklin does.

At 6-foot-3, Franklin has grown a bit since he was drafted. He might be two inches shorter than Vele, but based on what we've seen this summer, Franklin certainly doesn't play small — and he's obviously much more comfortable in his skin and within the scheme.

“I think I’m just more comfortable, got a little bit more freedom to go out there and just play," Franklin said after preseason Game 2. "And also just knowing the offense as a whole.”

Vele was a pleasant surprise as a seventh-round pick last year. He offered some valuable reliability to a rookie Bo Nix and was helpful in moving the chains on 26 of his 41 receptions. But Vele has yet to prove that he can be anything more than a solid possession receiver.

An Offense That Checks Every Box