The Lead
Quarterback Bo Nix is not the only rookie making an impact in Denver.
While all eyes have been on the development of Nix as he has continued to show steady improvement throughout the season, two of his offensive weapons have also made strides and shown their potential to be consistent contributors.
Head Coach Sean Payton has taken notice of the progress of wide receivers Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin, and he believes their skill sets can be key for Denver moving forward this season.
"Those are young players that are growing right in front of our eyes," Head Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday of Vele and Franklin. "We talk a lot about Bo's growth, but there are other younger players that are getting experience. I think that's important, and they've handled it well."
Vele, a seventh-round draft pick out of Utah, has only seen action in four of Denver's games so far this season. However, he has made his presence felt every time he has had an opportunity.
In Week 8 vs. Carolina, Vele caught all three of his targets, one being a key third-down conversion that ultimately led to Denver's first touchdown of the day. Vele's most productive game of the year so far came in Week 6 against the Chargers, when he led the team with 78 receiving yards — including a 37-yard fourth-down reception to set up a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
A fourth-round draft pick, Franklin has also made an impact, most notably with his speed. Franklin recorded the first touchdown reception of his career in Week 6 vs. the Chargers, and he followed up the performance with a career-high 50 receiving yards in Week 7. The progress has been encouraging to see for veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who has had a front-row seat to Franklin's growth this season.
"To watch him progress from training camp to now, he's slowing starting to understand the things that he needs to do to get himself ready for the games," Sutton said. "Ultimately at the end of the day, that's what you want to see. You want to see a guy that's willing to develop himself, willing to learn and continuing to try to get better. That's what I think he's doing right now really well."
Franklin has had the opportunity to maintain his connection with his former college teammate, Nix, who sees a lot of value in what the receiver has brought to the table this season.
"I think whenever you can stretch the field like that, for any offense that has that guy, it's tough on defenses because they have to stay back," Nix said of Franklin. "When you stay back, they give up some completions underneath [and] then run game becomes a little easier. It's definitely good to have guys that can run. It's good to have team speed, and I feel like we're using that to our advantage right now."
Recognizing his skill set and ability to make things tough on a defense, Franklin is confident that he and Vele can continue to open things up offensively for Denver.
"I feel like I've been able to make a pretty good impact," Franklin said. "They've got to worry about my speed and stuff like that. I think [Vele and I] just bring a different part of the game for the receivers out there."
Looking ahead to a tough road matchup with the Ravens in Week 9, Denver's young playmakers are eager to embrace another opportunity to put those abilities to use.
"We're very excited," Franklin said. "We know we got a lot of opportunities to go out there and make some plays and we want to go do that."
