Bo Nix and Troy Franklin haven’t been on the same page throughout their rookie season. But with a playoff berth hanging in the balance against the Bengals, the rookie quarterback didn’t hesitate to throw to his college teammate.
Facing a crucial third-and-6 on the Broncos’ first drive of overtime, Nix saw Franklin race upfield away from cornerback Marco Wilson and uncorked a deep throw in his direction. But the pass sailed over Franklin’s outstretched arms and Denver was forced to punt.
A play that could’ve changed the outcome of the Broncos’ 30-24 loss was off by inches — a normal occurrence in 2024.
“I gotta hit those. That’s what NFL quarterbacks do. I’m going to continue to work until I hit those and not put my team in that position,” Nix said last week.
At Oregon, Nix and Franklin were one of the best wide receiver-quarterback duos in the country. Nix set the Ducks’ single-season records for completions (364), passing yards (4,508) and passing touchdowns (45) in 2023. Meanwhile, Franklin left Oregon as the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns (25) and tied for first in 100-yard games (11).
That connection has yet to translate to the NFL. In 15 games, Franklin has run 230 routes and been targeted 51 times for 26 catches, 251 yards and two touchdowns. Nix has a passer rating of 70 when targeting Franklin, who has a receiving EPA (expected points added) of minus-24.7. The latter is the third-lowest among wide receivers in the league with a minimum of 50 targets, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
As frustrating as it has been for both players to find continuity, the Broncos knew the connection would take time.
Denver traded up in the fourth round to take Franklin at No. 102 because the organization saw potential. Despite Denver pairing Nix with his top target at Oregon, head coach Sean Payton warned it wasn’t a given the two would click right away in the NFL.
“When it’s a quarterback and receiver, it certainly can’t hurt, but as they leave the college game where they were stars and starters in their own right there, I think they begin a new journey,” Payton said in April. “I think maybe a couple of years (or) three years down the road, hopefully, you’ll be able to see. I know a lot is made of the cohesiveness, but when they arrive here, they start all over.”
Franklin dealt with drops and issues learning the playbook during the offseason program and training camp. He didn’t have a reception over 42 offensive snaps in Denver’s first two preseason games.
General manager George Paton said ahead of the season that Franklin was “a work in progress.” Payton expressed a similar sentiment, saying some receivers take longer to adjust to more complicated NFL schemes and route concepts. Still, the Broncos created a role for Franklin to the point that they moved on from veterans like Tim Patrick and Josh Reynolds to give him and fellow rookie Devaughn Vele more opportunities.
Franklin has had his moments during the regular season — most notably a five-catch, 50-yard performance in Denver’s win in New Orleans. He hasn’t had problems creating separation, either. His 3.7 yards of separation is seventh-best in the league and second among rookie WRs with a minimum of 50 targets, according to Next Gen Stats.
But for the most part, the 21-year-old’s rookie campaign has been underwhelming.
A telling sign of Nix and Franklin’s disconnect has been their inability to connect on go routes, when the receiver runs straight upfield. Franklin has run 84 go routes — second-most on Denver — and has totaled one catch for 29 yards and a passer rating of 39.6 on 14 targets, according to Next Gen Stats.
The Broncos like to attempt those deep throws to Franklin on short-yardage situations, hoping to catch the opposing defense off guard. The results just haven’t followed. The most notable miss came on third-and-3 in Week 5 against Las Vegas when Nix slightly overthrew Franklin in the end zone. Following the incompletion, Nix argued with Payton on the sideline because he changed the play.
Several other near misses have followed, with the misfire against the Bengals just the latest. The play had a completion probability of 50.2%, according to Next Gen Stats.
“I got to make sure I’m sticking to the ball the whole time, following through (and) finishing the catch,” Franklin said.
Franklin has been his best on crossing routes. On 29 such routes, he’s been targeted 29 times for nine catches, 106 yards and a passer rating of 110.8. The next step is connecting on those home run plays.
“The pressure and the ambition of, ‘We’ve already done it. We have to do it again. It should be easy for us.’ That’s not the case,” Nix said. “You’re going against different guys. You’re playing in a different system. You’re thinking a little bit too much. I’m also not going to make excuses. We have to hit them when they’re open.”
Marvin Mims Jr. is an example of why patience is required. The 2023 second-round pick has been up-and-down and sometimes not involved in the offense during his first two seasons in the NFL. Lately, he has hit a stride, totaling 290 yards in the last four games.
Mims is not a finished product, but he has 452 yards and four touchdowns on 34 catches during his sophomore campaign after recording 33 catches for 377 yards and a score as a rookie.
“If you asked anybody, they could tell you that there’s so much learning that goes into your rookie year,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. “You feel like you have everything understood, but there are a lot of things to learn.”
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.