The vibes are high for the Denver Broncos after making their first playoff appearance since winning Super Bowl 50. And, on that note, Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. thinks there’s a next gear on tap for them.
“You can kind of feel throughout the locker room that everyone’s hungry, especially the guys who were here and played in Buffalo last year and got a taste of the playoffs. They know what it’s like, know what it takes to get there. Then we bring in [Talanoa] Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw, Evan Engram. We bring in some more guys. … You can really feel that the times are changing for us,” Mims said in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday.
“People always like to say a ‘win-now’ mode. With the way things went last year, we were projected to be last in the league last year and end up making the wild card. Guys that were here last year, they believe. The guys that are coming in, they want to make an impact, too. I think everyone’s hungry.”
The Broncos finished 10-7 and earned a wild-card berth before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card round, 31-7.
Mims, who Denver selected with the No. 63 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma, has returned punts but also kicks over his first two seasons. Leading the NFL with 15.7 yards per punt return in 2024 and averaging 26.9 yards per kick return — including a 99-yard touchdown in 2023 — for his career has primarily helped Mims earn a Pro Bowl nod in both years.
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As a receiver, Mims totaled 39 receptions for 503 yards and six touchdowns last season, earning an All-Pro honor. He ranked 51st among wide receivers with a 70.9 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus. The year prior, Mims averaged 17.1 yards per reception. Granted, he had just 22 receptions on 33 targets.
Optimism around Denver is mostly centered around second-year quarterback Bo Nix, who threw for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns in his 2024 rookie campaign. Mims is part of a wide receiver room that includes Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin and third-round draft pick Pat Bryant, among others.
As for Denver’s offseason acquisitions, the aforementioned Hufanga, a 2022 All-Pro, and Greenlaw, who totaled 100-plus combined tackles in both 2022 and 2023, join a defense that was first in the NFL in sacks (63.0), third in opponent points (18.3 per game) and seventh in opponent total yards (317.1 per game) last season. Meanwhile, Engram totaled 114 receptions with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, earning a Pro Bowl nod.
As for the 2025 NFL Draft as a whole, Denver selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the No. 20 pick and UCF running back RJ Harvey at pick No. 60.
“I feel like we’re really poised, and we’re really level-headed this year and that we’re going to make something happen as long as we just keep it going on each other and just strive to get there,” Mims said.
Mims and the Broncos open the 2025 regular season at home against No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 7 (4:05 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
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