Getty

Denver Broncos wide receiver and return specialist Marvin Mims.

The Washington Commanders hope they’ve drafted a legitimate WR2 with rookie Antonio Williams, a 3rd-round pick who is being looked to as the second option to NFL All-Pro Terry McLaurin.

Hope is the key here. Which isn’t exactly sending teams to Super Bowls.

Riggo’s Rag’s Dean Jones thinks the Commanders could turn to the Broncos for a more reliable solution behind McLaurin, putting 4th-year wide receiver and NFL All-Pro return specialist Marvin Mims Jr. on a list of possible trade targets.

“Marvin Mims Jr. might not be a highly touted name in comparison to others,” Jones wrote. “Even so, there is a lot to like about his skill set within David Blough’s concepts. Mims is electric and explosive with the football in his hands, making things happen after the catch. But with the Denver Broncos having a surplus of playmakers, someone will have to make way.”

Rumors Have Long Tied Marvin Mims to Trade

This isn’t the 1st time Mims has seen his name tied to trade rumors — such is the state of the now-talented Broncos wide receivers room.

Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Bradley Locker put Mims at the top of his list of potential trade candidates headed into training camp.

“A talented playmaker who’s flashed at times, Mims could bring his explosiveness to another team given what Denver has done this offseason,” Locker wrote on May 20. “Despite being a second-round pick three years ago, Mims has yet to fully realize his home-run-hitting potential. Throughout his career, he’s produced a 70.7 PFF receiving grade with 1.71 yards per route run. Where Mims has been at his best is on deep passes, earning a 94.3 receiving mark.”

Marvin Mims Facing Uphill Battle on Depth Chart

While it was never just 1 move that sealed Mims’ fate in Denver — it was more like death from 1,000 cuts — trading a 1st-round pick for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in March probably did the trick.

That makes a glut at the top of the depth chart, where it’s Waddle and Courtland Sutton as 1A and 1B, then it’s straight Kumite after that, with up-and-comers Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant going head-to-head with Mims for that 3rd wide receiver spot.

That’s not to mention the touches going to a trio of talented running backs in J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and Jonah Coleman. Tight ends Evan Engram and Justin Joly might also have something to say about getting the ball.

The smartest move for the Broncos might be to try to get a 4th or 5th-round pick back in exchange for Mims, who is entering the final season of his 4-year, $6 million rookie contract in 2026.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell named Mims the NFL’s “Best Gadget Player” because of his ability to do so many things and do them all well.

Mims was the 1st pick of the Sean Payton era in Denver, going in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL draft, because the Broncos traded their 1st-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for quarterback Russell Wilson.

“Thinking about the classic idea of an undersized gadget player who moves around the formation to thrive, catches all kinds of passes near the line of scrimmage and creates big plays with the ball in his hands, Mims comes to mind,” Barnwell wrote.