Second-year Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin had a stellar preseason outing against the Arizona Cardinals this weekend, catching 67 yards and two touchdowns. Many are expecting Franklin to have a bigger role this season, given his connection with Bo Nix dating back to their Oregon days. Head coach Sean Payton also praised Franklin and predicted a second-year jump.
"It's happening, and I'm excited," Payton said of Franklin ascending to another level, per a team transcript. "I think we've just got to be smart because he's playing two spots, but he's ... had a really good camp. He's confident. I've said this a bunch of times; it has to happen on the field, and you guys that have covered this team or any other team, you see it in the preseason every year. Some players begin to make some plays, and it carries over."
This is high praise, and it's far from the first time Payton has expressed his belief in Franklin. Given these comments, some natural development, a known connection with Nix and flashes of his considerable upside, the writing is on the wall for Franklin to have a breakout season. And by all accounts, Franklin has been impressive in training camp as well.
Troy Franklin has a clear opportunity for a breakout season
While the Broncos do have Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram in the passing game there isn't much competition for Franklin outside of those two. Specifically, Franklin will be competing with Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr. and Devaughn Vele for the Broncos' WR2 role. If Franklin can parlay his preseason play into regular-season production, it's very reasonable that he can separate himself from these three receivers.
As a rookie, Franklin caught 263 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 deep threat could give the Broncos' offense a nice boost. Despite not putting up any crazy stats, Franklin ranked fourth in targets, highlighting his connection with Nix. Franklin caught just 52.8 percent of his targets, but that number will surely go up this season, and Franklin will likely remain a favorite target of Nix if he's able to stay on the field.
During his senior year at Oregon, Franklin caught 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns. Both numbers led the Ducks, and his 14 receiving TDs even led the conference. This resulted in Franklin being drafted in the fourth round by Denver.
The skill set is certainly there for Franklin to have a breakout season. His upside, paired with target opportunities, makes Franklin feel like a clear breakout candidate. Franklin's potential has been on display in the preseason, but this will still need to translate to the regular season.
Undoubtedly, Franklin seems to have the backing of his coach and quarterback, which bodes well for his chances of getting a bigger role. While a breakout season isn't a guarantee, there are plenty of positive signs for Franklin, and it would be far from a surprise.