Broncos kick returner Marvin Mims Jr. avoids injury scare, expected to practice Monday

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos coach Sean Payton said Thursday that All-Pro kick returner and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. checked out fine after leaving practice a day earlier so doctors could see if he had a groin injury.

“Marvin, good news,” Payton said following practice ahead of the team's kickoff luncheon. “We have a bonus practice Monday, and he’ll be at work Monday so we’re fortunate. Pretty good week considering. There’s a lot of moving parts and to have the full 69 (players, including the 16-player practice squad), actually 70 with our international player.”

Mims caught six touchdown passes last season and led the league with a 15.7-yard average on punt returns. He averaged 16 yards per punt return his rookie year, when he had a 99-yarder for a touchdown to go with one TD from scrimmage.

Mims is expected to have an even larger role on offense this year, especially with the trade last week of wide receiver Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints.

Also Thursday, general manager George Paton addressed the media for the first time since extending wide receiver Courtland Sutton and All-Pro defensive lineman Zach Allen, but he declined to address the ongoing contract talks with edge rusher Nik Bonitto.

Allen signed a four-year, $102 million extension.

“Zach, obviously, makes this thing go up front,” Payton said. "He has had a tremendous few seasons here. (He is) really good on the field, even better off the field. Obviously a priority to get Zach done. We feel good that he’s going to be here hopefully for the rest of his career.”

Sutton signed a four-year, $92 million extension.

“Courtland, since I arrived he’s been a huge piece of this team, this organization. He’s been through the ups, and the downs, the injuries, the lack of continuity and the coaches," Paton said. "He stayed the course. He’s been a leader despite all this. So it was really important, especially the way he played last year, to keep Courtland.

“We have a young (wide receivers) room. It’s ‘Court’, and then the rest are 24, 25 and (younger). He sets the tone really for that room. He sets the tone for this offense. It was important to keep him.”

As for extending Bonitto, however, Paton demurred when asked if he was waiting for a resolution in the Micah Parsons situation, which occurred later in the day when the Dallas Cowboys dealt the star defender to the Green Bay Packers.

“As far as any other stuff, we’ve done a good job of keeping these things quiet and respectful,” he said. "We’re just going to keep it that way.”

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