Mims' first two pro seasons have been both disappointing and promising. Despite being a second-round pick, Mims has struggled to earn playing time, but he's proven to be a versatile threat when on the field, averaging 10.3 YAC per reception and earning back-to-back Pro Bowl nods for his work as a return specialist. After a rookie season with just 33 targets but a handful of huge plays, Mims looked to take a step back in 2024, catching 11 of 19 targets for 69 yards over his first 10 games. He finally made a couple big plays Week 11, and after that he drew four or more targets in every game, although it wasn't until a playoff loss to Buffalo that he reached 50 percent snap share for the first time all year. The role he handled Weeks 11-18 was an odd one, featuring an extremely low aDOT (4.4) and an extremely high target rate (33.3 percent of routes), with 33 targets and nine carries yielding 443 yards and six TDs. The nature of Mims' production wasn't sustainable, but it doesn't need to be, given that he has 4.38 speed and averaged 19.5 yards per catch at Oklahoma, i.e., he can trade some of that yardage on short receptions for targets and yardage on long ones. He's also one of the youngest players from his draft class, having turned 23 this spring, and continued development might finally convince Broncos coach Sean Payton to have regular starters at WR instead of rotating everyone behind Courtland Sutton.
