ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Just six games into his NFL career, Marvin Mims Jr. has quickly emerged as one of the most dangerous receivers in the entire league.
Despite that, however, he’s been significantly limited. By his own team.
With only Monday Night Football remaining in Week 6, the rookie speedster’s 24.6 yards per catch is the most in the NFL. In fact, it’s 5.2 yards more than Tyreek Hill, arguably the most dynamic and dangerous receiver in the NFL.
Yet, the 5-foot-11, 182-pound rookie is averaging a mere two targets per game.
Not only are the targets drastically low, he’s only been on the field for 27 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.
But according to Sean Payton, there’s not anything that Mims is, or isn’t doing, to keep himself off the field.
“He’s doing well,” the head coach and offensive play caller said when asked about the rookie. “He’s on track, and we’re confident in how he’s handling the return duties but also his ability to make plays for us in the passing game. [We’re] trying to find that balance.”
If Mims is doing well—and clearly capitalizing when he does get his limited opportunities—then why isn’t he on the field more and getting more than 12 total targets through the team’s first six games?
“We’re faced with a challenge sometimes of trying to find that balance with [Courtland] Sutton, [Jerry] Jeudy, [Marvin] Mims and the guys that we feel like can make plays in space,” Payton said, explaining why Mims is only playing roughly a quarter of the offensive snaps. “We’ve had packages where both he and Jeudy are on the field at the same time opposite of one another. Again, that’s still a work in progress, but I don’t think it’s a work in progress specifically towards Marvin as much as it is for us finding packages and touches for him both in the passing game. Then also, he’s someone that can handle the speed sweeps, the arounds, and those types of things. He is really good with the ball in his hands.”
During the same press conference with Payton on Monday, the head coach also said the Broncos “need to find ways to get guys open” in order to improve the passing game.
“Typically speaking, that has to happen efficiently on early downs. It can’t be just on third down. That’s one of the things that we’ve discussed here early today,” Payton added. “[We’re] looking at our pass list and drive starters and making sure that we find a way. Obviously on first down, you’re going to mix, run or pass, with your sequencing.”
Mims has proved he can get open down the field as well as in short-yardage situations. His 83.3 percent catch rate would back that up.
Yet, the rookie is seventh on the team in targets (12), trailing not only his fellow receivers in Sutton (37), Jeudy (29) and Brandon Johnson (13), but also Samaje Perine (20), Adam Trautman (16) and Javonte Williams (15).
His 10 catches is sixth on the team, yet he has the second-most receiving yards (246), only trailing Sutton (275).
Over the past two weeks, Mims’ role has actually decreased too. Against the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, Mims had a combined one catch on one target for four yards. He wasn’t targeted a single time against the Chiefs in a game in which he only saw the field for a career-low 12 snaps.
In the first four weeks of the season, the rookie caught nine passes for 242 yards. Mims’ 242 yards was by far the most on the team.
Yet Mims’ role remains limited as Payton and the offense attempt to balance the receivers reps. That could change, however, as that balancing act is a “work in progress,” according to the head coach.
