The Denver Broncos’ wide receiver room will look plenty different in 2024 than it did last season. Gone is Jerry Jeudy, who was shipped to Cleveland for a fifth-round pick. Returning from injury is fan-favorite Tim Patrick, who will be joined by rookies DeVaughn Vele and Troy Franklin. Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims also return, the former after negotiating a new contract this week.
But another new face in the room is veteran Josh Reynolds, the former Detroit Lion who signed in free agency earlier this offseason. At 6’3 and 194 pounds, Reynolds has the size to line up all over the field, and he’s already received attention from the Broncos’ coaching staff for his physical presence.
"He's long," Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Reynolds in May. "He has strong hands. Another veteran receiver. I like that group, and if you study it closely, it's big across the board, and it has speed."
Why Reynolds Could Be an X-Factor
Reynolds had 608 receiving yards on 40 receptions last season, which would have beaten everyone on the Broncos’ roster but Sutton and Jeudy. But receiving yards are just one part of Reynolds’ ability to impact games; he’s also a willing and able run blocker, which is a must for wideouts in a Sean Payton offense.
Having a reliable option is going to be key for Denver no matter who they roll out at quarterback. But if rookie Bo Nix takes a large share of starter snaps this year, Reynolds’ role will be all the more critical. As a veteran, he has the savvy to be a huge help to a young quarterback who is surrounded in large part by less known quantities.
Reynolds has already made his presence felt early in training camp practices.
First open practice of Broncos training camp in the books.
— Aric DiLalla (@AricDiLalla) July 26, 2024
A couple nice catches for Josh Reynolds today.
Riley Moss flashed a couple times too.
Third-down work to end the day.
The Broncos hope to improve their offense at every level in 2024, and having a receiver who can do a little bit of everything and potentially make life easier for their young quarterback will be of great importance. Reynolds could be a huge X-factor for the Broncos in 2024, even if he doesn’t blow observers away with his yardage statistics.
