DENVER -- There was a bit of relief in Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton's voice Friday night when he said wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr.'s right foot injury was not serious.
Mims left the preseason finale against Minnesota on Denver's first possession after he collided with a Vikings defender.
Mims was one of the few regulars Payton played in the game, so him going to the injury tent just a few snaps into a preseason game was not what the Broncos wanted to see.
"With Mims, he's going to be fine; it's a bruise,'' Payton said after Denver's 34-6 win. "So, we were really more just cautious with him. There were a few guys that we were going to get some snaps with, certainly front-line guys for us, and he was one of those players.''
Mims, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro as a returner in 2024, was one of the few Broncos regulars in uniform Friday. The fourth-year veteran was injured on an overthrown pass from quarterback Jarrett Stidham on the sixth play from scrimmage.
Mims and Vikings safety Jacob Thomas collided out of bounds as the ball sailed past Mims, who immediately grabbed his right foot when he hit the ground.
An emotional Mims limped away and then tried to jog off the field before going to the injury tent. He then went to the locker room.
Mims, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, had missed several training camp practices because of a lower-body injury and did not have a catch or a return in the preseason.
He finished second in the league in punt returns last season at 15.6 yards per attempt.
The Broncos had 30 players who were not in uniform for Friday's game, including most of the team's starters.
