Last season was a breakout year for Troy Franklin. He was coming off a disappointing rookie year, but he put in the work, added some weight, and was the Broncos’ most hyped up player in the offseason. He kept making plays during OTAs and minicamp, and that all carried over into training camp and eventually the preseason.
Franklin elevated himself to being the Broncos’ WR2 behind veteran Courtland Sutton and would go on to have a breakout season. His big breakout game came vs. the Indianapolis Colts
in Week 2, where he had 8 catches for 89 yards and 1 touchdown. He would go on to have big games and clutch moments vs. the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Packers and become one of the Broncos’ biggest playmakers. Unfortunately, some late-season injuries sidelined him for most of the Broncos’ postseason run, including the AFC Championship Game, but it was a solid second season for Franklin.
In total, Franklin saw 104 targets and had 65 catches for 709 yards and 6 touchdowns and looked to be a big part of the Broncos’ offense moving forward. However, a blockbuster trade would throw a wrench into Franklin’s future outlook with the team.
The Broncos would make a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire explosive wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. He would instantly become the Broncos’ WR1 and move everyone down the pecking order just a little bit. While this addition made the Broncos better and their WR room deeper, it added some uncertainty around Troy Franklin and the rest of the Broncos’ wide receivers.
Now, Franklin will be competing for snaps with postseason hero and big-play specialist Marvin Mims Jr. and promising second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant. This is a good problem to have for the Broncos, and you can make a strong case for all three, but at the end of the day, Troy Franklin is likely going to lose targets moving forward.
All three figure to have a role in the offense, but who emerges as the leader from this group remains to be seen. Again, it’s a good problem to have; it will be a fun competition to watch throughout training camp and the preseason, and we’ll see where Franklin lands when it’s all said and done.
Player Profile
Troy Franklin | Wide Receiver | Denver Broncos
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 180 pounds
- Age: 23 years old
- Experience: 3rd NFL season
- 40-time: 4.41 seconds
- 2025 stats: 104 targets and 65 catches for 709 yards and 6 touchdowns
Troy Franklin’s outlook with the Denver Broncos
His outlook with the Broncos this season is honestly TBD. He is in a competition with Mims and Bryant for a role in the offense, and things could shake out several ways for Franklin.
- He wins the Broncos WR3 job and is a big part of the offense
- The Broncos use all three equally, and there is no real true WR3
- He falls behind Mims and/or Bryant and loses snaps
- The Broncos trade him away as they did with Devaughn Vele the year prior
Obviously, injuries and some unknown variables would impact these outcomes, but I think you can make a strong case for all three with Franklin.
He was the Broncos’ most productive wide receiver on the roster not named Courtland Sutton and made some big and clutch plays for them last season. He saw 104 targets and was a big part of what they did last season. So, I would be a little surprised if he was completely phased out of the picture, but it’s clear the current plan is for Franklin not to have 104 targets regardless of how this plays out.
Franklin has speed, has improved as a down-the-field threat, and again, had some big plays in some of the Broncos’ biggest wins last season.
However, he is competing against Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr., who all flashed real potential at times as well. Mims has always made clutch plays and was the Broncos’ postseason hero last season, and Pat Bryant’s role was increasing as the season went on last year. So, we may see the Broncos use all three, and how much and who will depend on the matchups and plays called.
It’s also possible Bryant and/or Mims surpass Franklin on the depth chart. I wouldn’t call this the most likely outcome, but it’s certainly possible and an outcome we cannot ignore. Bryant was really coming on late last season before his injuries, and we always want to see more Marvin Mims on offense, so it is possible Franklin slips down the depth chart a little bit.
Finally, the trade scenario. Mims falls under this umbrella too, but we saw the Broncos trade away Devaughn Vele last season due to their depth, and we could see history repeat itself once again this summer. If all three look good and a team calls about Franklin and offers something they cannot refuse, I could see a trade happening. Especially if Hakeem Butler, who made some noise during the Broncos’ minicamp practices, pushes for a roster spot.
Final Thoughts
Franklin’s outlook is truly TBD in my mind.
How the competition between Franklin, Mims, and Franklin shakes out likely will be one of the top stories in camp. Who comes out on top and what comes after that will be very interesting. Again, injuries could play a factor in this, but as I mentioned, several scenarios could play out here.
At the end of the day, this is a great problem to have. You can make a strong case for all three players, and this competition should bring out the best in all of them. I am not sure how it plays out, but I am excited to see how it goes as we near the start of training camp and the preseason.
