Troy Franklin Camp Update — August 23: The Crowd He Was Fighting Just Grew

Troy Franklin went unmentioned in this week's reporting — no practice notes, no stat line in the coverage we read of Denver's 33-13 loss to Green Bay — while the competitor his June file actually named finally took the field. Jaylen Waddle returned to full practice Monday after two and a half weeks out with a leg strain, per Charles Goldman at A to Z Sports, and made his Broncos debut Friday with a 35-yard third-down catch from Bo Nix on the opening drive, per Chad Jensen at Mile High Huddle.

For anyone hearing this fresh: Franklin drew heavy target volume as the second option in this offense last season, and the June read said his play had earned everything while the room threatened it — Denver traded for Waddle, and volume earned before the trade would have to be defended after it. August then delivered the threat from an unexpected direction, with beat reporting earlier this month placing Pat Bryant ahead of Franklin in the practice rotation while Waddle sat. This week neither name generated new rotation reporting, so the last documented pecking order stands, and the crowd it described just got one receiver deeper with Waddle active. Marvin Mims, still limited to rehab work per Josh Buckhalter at Heavy, is the only piece not yet back in the pile.

The useful evidence arrives Friday. Sean Payton wants his starters playing into the third quarter of the finale against Minnesota, per Will Petersen at Denver Sports — three quarters of first-team offense with Sutton, Waddle and Franklin all available for the first time, two days before the cutdown to 53. What to watch: Franklin's snaps and targets in that game, and where he sits in the rotation once the room is whole. We'll check after cut day.

_Data via nflverse._