Marvin Mims Jr. had a rookie moment in Week 4 against Chicago, but he hit his first real adversity as a professional Sunday against the Jets.
The Broncos’ dynamic rookie wide receiver played a key part in two of Denver’s three turnovers in a 31-21 loss to New York, fumbling a first-quarter punt return and mishandling a third-quarter flip from running back Samaje Perine on a trick play.
After the Denver defense started the afternoon with a stop, Mims should have called fair catch on a high punt from Thomas Morstead. Instead, he got hit almost immediately and the ball popped out. The Jets only got a field goal out of the ensuing chance, but even still it set an ominous tone.
“I mean, I thought I had a little bit of room and just misjudged it, basically,” Mims told The Denver Post. “Just the speed of the game and all that stuff. As soon as I got my hands on it he hit me and it just fell out.”
Then later he tried to take a pitch on an end-around from Perine but it was high and he wasn’t able to corral it.
“I just didn’t really get my hands on it and didn’t keep my eye on the ball and it just ended up going over my head,” Mims said.
Each team put the ball on the ground four times Sunday, but the Broncos lost three — the other was Russell Wilson’s game-sealing fumble in the final minute — while the Jets lost one and recovered three.
Williams close, but held out. Broncos running back Javonte Williams went through more than 30 minutes of pregame workouts before the team ultimately made him inactive for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
Williams, who injured his hip flexor last week against Chicago, did substantial running and cutting on the field more than two hours before kickoff, but the Broncos decided to be cautious with him.
That was despite him being a full participant in Friday’s practice and ramping up his activity throughout the week.
Elsewhere on the injury front, defensive lineman D.J. Jones hurt his knee in the first half and did not return to the game. Safety Kareem Jackson left the game briefly, too, but was back in by the end.
Safety Justin Simmons returned to action after missing two weeks, played every snap and after the game said he thought he came through it well physically.
Locke returns, Perkins debuts. P.J. Locke wasted little time getting back into action after spending the first four weeks on injured reserve with a dislocated toe.
Locke, the reserve safety, was out there for the opening kickoff and jumped right back into core special teams duties for the Broncos.
Outside linebacker Ronnie Perkins, meanwhile, made his NFL debut against the Jets.
The Broncos signed Perkins off of New England’s practice squad earlier this year. A 2021 third-round draft pick, Perkins had never appeared in an NFL game for the Patriots.
He got special teams snaps and rotated in at outside linebacker as well.
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