Whoever wins the Denver Broncos’ quarterback competition will play with one bonafide No. 1 wideout, Courtland Sutton, who wants a new contract, and a bunch of role players who haven’t quite moved the needle in the passing game.

Josh Reynolds logged career highs in catches (52) and receiving yards (618) back in 2020, and those numbers look modest compared to many No. 2 wide receivers across the league.

Tim Patrick hasn’t played a down in the regular season since 2021 because he suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries during training camp.

As a rookie, Marvin Mims Jr. made the 2023 AFC Pro Bowl roster on special teams but registered just 22 catches for 377 yards and a touchdown.

In February, head coach Sean Payton said expects Mims to take on an expanded role in the aerial attack, but that’s not a guarantee with Patrick back in the fold and rookie fourth-rounder Troy Franklin in the mix.

Remember that Franklin played two seasons with rookie first-rounder Bo Nix at Oregon. So, if Nix wins the starting quarterback job, Franklin may emerge as a top pass-catching option. The duo could provide some upside for this unit.

The Broncos’ run game, with Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, and rookie fifth-rounder Audric Estime, may be the offense’s engine until Nix, journeyman Jarrett Stidham, or Zach Wilson gain a good grasp of Payton’s offense.

Nonetheless, Payton helped Russell Wilson post respectable passing numbers after the veteran signal-caller’s worst season, which says a lot about his offensive coaching acumen.

Payton has only fielded a bottom-five scoring or total offense once in his career with a collection of backup and inexperienced quarterbacks in the New Orleans Saints’ first post-Drew Brees season. He faces a similar challenge with the Broncos’ current quarterback situation.