The Denver Broncos have their quarterback. Rookie Bo Nix will likely take over the starting job sooner rather than later, but who are the guys that he is going to be throwing the ball to?
That will be an important question for the team to answer as it forms an initial 53-player roster to open the season with. At Oregon, Nix completed 77 percent of his throws in 2023, but he had a very specific game plan that was set up by a quick, short passing game.
That is the kind of style that head coach Sean Payton can work well with as it was similar to what he ran in New Orleans with Drew Brees.
The Broncos have plenty of talent at wide receiver, starting with Courtland Sutton. The competition goes deep at this position, so let's take a look at what the team is going to be working with.
Denver Broncos wide receiver depth chart ahead of 2024 season
1. Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton is definitely the team's No. 1 wide receiver now that Jerry Jeudy his no longer around, but his summer starts with plenty of questions.
Is he going to report to training camp on time? Will he get the extra money he is looking for? Will the Broncos determine that they can't work out the kind of deal Sutton is looking for and just trade him?
The evaluation of this position is going to have to start with some answers to those questions.
2. Marvin Mims Jr.
Marvin Mims shined at times during his rookie season last year, prompting a good portion of the team's fanbase to want more of him. But Mims' snaps were limited. That should change in year two.
3. Josh Reynolds
Josh Reynolds was added as a veteran option through free agency. He had his moments in the last handful of years with the Detroit Lions and could become a go-to option in this offense for Nix.
4. Troy Franklin
The rookie selected in the fourth round was one of the better value picks in the entire draft. Troy Franklin has electric speed and his familiarity with Nix as his college teammate makes for an exciting potential.
5. Tim Patrick
A fan favorite and a guy who is easy to root for, Tim Patrick is the ultimate wild card here. It is hard to imagine the team cutting him but at the same time, it's hard to imagine him making the roster after missing the past two seasons.
Tim Patrick vs man coverage | WRs:
— PFF (@PFF) December 2, 2021
🔸 90.4 receiving grade (3rd)
🔸 158.1 passer rating when targeted (1st)
🔸 0 drops pic.twitter.com/DW0BBqUT4m
6. Lil'Jordan Humphrey
Lil'Jordan Humphrey played for Payton in New Orleans and has clearly worked his way into his favor as the team chose to re-sign him this offseason despite just 13 receptions last year.
Humphrey has good size at 6-foot-4.
7. Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson has looked good when his number has been called over the last two seasons after going undrafted in 2022. But he will have to shine this summer for his tenure in Denver to continue.
8. Jalen Virgil
Like Johnson, Jalen Virgil has looked like a solid undrafted signing since the Broncos grabbed him following the 2022 draft. But he missed all of last season and has a tough hill to climb.
9. Devaughn Vele
Perhaps the most difficult player to slot into this depth chart ahead of camp is seventh-round pick Devaughn Vele. He's old for a rookie at 26 but the team likes his potential and he could leap all the way up to No. 5 before the summer is over.
10. Michael Bandy
Michael Bandy spent nearly all of the 2023 season on the Broncos' practice squad. He has 10 career receptions from his two-season stint with the Los Angeles Chargers.
11. Phillip Dorsett
A first-round pick in 2015, Phillip Dorsett has never come close to living up to that status. The Broncos already released him once this offseason before bringing him back three days later, but that is a good indication of where they see him in their long-term plans.
12. David Sills
After four seasons with the New York Giants, David Sills spent the 2023 season on Denver's practice squad. He is not going to make the team this year but can make a big to stay on the practice squad and be a guy the team could call on in a pinch.
