The Denver Broncos went from having what seemed like a lot of question marks at wide receiver to having 1 of the NFL’s great 1-2 punches at the position with Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle following a blockbuster trade for Waddle — a move that will create a frenzy of competition for a young, talented group behind that duo.
One of those young, talented wide receivers is 2025 3rd round pick Pat Bryant, who talked with DNVR’s Zac Stevens about his offseason recovery program following an injury-filled end to his rookie season.
“I’ve been in (Denver) basically the whole offseason,” Bryant said on Friday. “Nursing my hamstring and overall just getting right, getting my body back, and working with our training staff to be the best version of myself this season … I’ve put on a couple of pounds obviously, coming off that rookie season and not getting to build like I want to build (my body), so it’s putting on a couple of pounds so I can go out there and play without worrying about injuries.”
Bryant will need the extra muscle this offseason as he’s in for a knock-down, drag-out fight for the WR3 spot behind Sutton and Waddle when training camp rolls around.
Broncos WRs Headed for Intense Competition
The Broncos offense might finally find the form head coach Sean Payton has been building toward in 2026 — and nowhere will the battle for touches be more intense than at wide receiver.
With Sutton and Waddle the clear WR1A and WR1B, the competition to be WR2/Wr3 is going to be something to behold with Bryant, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, and recently-signed Lil’Jordan Humphrey all battling for the spot.
Mims is a 2-time NFL All-Pro return specialist who also continually provides a spark to the offense when he gets chances. He’s not going anywhere.
Franklin, a 2024 4th round pick, went missing for large chunks of the 2025 season but his numbers — 65 receptions for 709 yards and 6 touchdowns — speak to an untapped upside.
That leaves Bryant as the odd man out, with Humphrey picking up whatever pieces he can as the group’s 1 true role player.
“I mean, you could say Pat Bryant is your 5th best receiver now,” Stevens said on the DNVR Denver Broncos podcast after the Waddle trade.
Injuries Waylaid Pat Bryant at End of Season
While Bryant struggled with injuries down the stretch of the regular season and, more notably, in the playoffs, he also showed enough upside that he could still take down Franklin and Mims for that coveted WR3 spot.
PFF’s Dalton Wasserman called Bryant an “Early Breakout Candidate” for the Broncos in 2026 after he had 35 receptions for 412 yards and 1 touchdown as a rookie.
“Bryant didn’t get many opportunities in the first half of his rookie season, but he became a reliable contributor to Denver’s offense down the stretch,” Wasserman wrote. “Since Week 8, he produced a solid 73.0 PFF receiving grade while placing third on the team with 364 receiving yards. He should continue to garner further opportunities alongside Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin in 2026.”
With a month left in the regular season, Bryant very much seemed like he was becoming Denver’s top WR2 option, but suffered a nasty concussion in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. That was followed by a hamstring injury that knocked him out of the AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots.
Promising Broncos WR Packing on Muscle for Position Battle