Marvin Mims Jr. knows 2026 might be his last season in Denver.
If it is truly his final go-around with the Broncos, the Oklahoma product isn't holding anything back.
"I think I've proved it time and time again just in different stretches, different opportunities. I feel as if the coaching staff knows what they're going to get from me," Mims told . "I love making plays. I love being out there doing the things that I can do. Really, it's just whatever the team needs from me.
"Sometimes I'm not in the most fortunate situations. Sometimes I am a little irritated with my situation, but at the end of the day I'm blessed to be where I am today, standing right here where I am. I love Denver. I love the city, I love the fans, love the atmosphere, love my teammates, love my coaches. So, with this possibly being my last year, I'm just going to enjoy it to the fullest, going through it carefree and just play my hardest because we have a real chance to do something extremely special."
The No. 63 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, and because the Broncos are projected to have just $11.7 million in cap space in 2027 (per ), it's likely they'll have to make some difficult decisions on who to keep. With Courtland Sutton's average salary of $23 million on the books and Jaylen Waddle's flexible but expensive contract now included, it seems Denver might have to accept its receiving corps won't include Mims beyond 2026.
Such is the business of pro football. Mims could be in much worse situations, though, and understands his role with the Broncos remains valuable and potentially important, especially with how much attention opposing defenses will dedicate to Sutton and Waddle.
If anything, this contract year could set up Mims to cash in elsewhere in 2027, which wouldn't be the worst outcome for a secondary option on a contending team.
"I think it can open a lot of things up," Mims said of Waddle's addition. "With RJ (Harvey), J.K. (Dobbins), Jonah (Coleman) in the running back room, Jaleel (McLaughlin), T.B. (Tyler Badie). You know, we've got a great tight end room coming back that performed really well for us last year. We've got a lot of receivers coming back that did some good things, especially the younger guys. Now we're adding Jaylen to that mix. It's really like pick your poison.
"Teams will have to game plan us differently. We'll see what they do. But having Courtland and Jaylen out there, whoever else is going to be out there matched up with them, whatever they're running, I mean it's going to be tough to see who you want to take away. You've got really two proven vets out there."
Mims and the rest of the Broncos understand how close they were to landing on football's greatest stage in 2025, and with Denver gearing up to welcome quarterback Bo Nix back into the fold following a season-ending ankle injury suffered in their Divisional Round win over Buffalo, optimism is peaking in the Mile High City.
That's another part of why Mims isn't worrying about the future right now. He knows a greater opportunity awaits he and his teammates, starting with Nix.
"Bo's coming back strong," Mims said. "He's gonna have a great season as he always does. Exceptional leader, so I'm excited."
Denver has set an incredibly high bar with its rapid turnaround and brush with a Super Bowl bid. It will be up to each member of the team -- including Mims, for perhaps the final time -- to deliver on those expectations in 2026.
