ENGLEWOOD — All-Pro returner Marvin Mims Jr. said the mission on the Broncos’ special teams is simple.

“(Be) very aggressive,’’ the wide receiver told The Denver Gazette after Wednesday’s practice at Broncos Park.

A new NFL rule calls for touchbacks on kickoffs to come out to the 35-yard line rather than the 30 last season. But that hasn’t stopped Mims from going for a big return instead of having the Broncos simply take the ball at the 35.

In last Sunday’s 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans, Mims had three kickoff returns for an average of 27.3 yards. He returned the first — from 1 yard deep in the end zone — 28 yards to the 27. He returned the second at the goal line, when the ball could have gone into the end zone, 23 yards to the 23. He caught the third one at the 1 and returned it 31 yards to the 32.

The Titans had five kickoffs in the game, the other two going for deep touchbacks. Mims was asked on his first two returns about not letting the ball go into the end zone.

“In the heat of battle, you can’t catch and look down,’’ Mims said. “You kind of feel how much like you’re going back. … Our special teams approach is very aggressive, so I don’t think there’s necessarily a wrong move of bringing it out and there’s other things within the return, some my fault, but also within the return of it not out or past the 35.”

Mims has a career average of 26.9 yards per kickoff return. He believes it’s often worth a shot for a return even if the conservative approach might be for the Broncos to start at the 35.

Mims last season led the NFL in punt-return average at 15.7 yards. He averaged 11.8 yards on his four returns against the Titans, but he lost a fumble in the fourth quarter on an attempted fair catch.

“Just slipped right through my hands,’’ he said. “It kind of happens. You just hate for that to happen in a game in that situation.”

Mims against the Titans also played 40 snaps at receiver and caught three passes for 12 yards. Entering Sunday’s game at Indianapolis, he said he is fine with the triple duty of returning kickoffs and punts and playing plenty at receiver.

Franklin-Myers, Greenlaw don’t practice

Two defensive starters did not practice for the Broncos on Wednesday in defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

Franklin-Myers sat out due to a knee injury apparently suffered against the Titans. Greenlaw suffered a quad injury July 31 and has not practiced or played since the start of the regular season.

The Broncos listed tight end Evan Engram as limited in the workout due to a calf injury suffered against Tennessee. He took part in individual drills before going to work on a side field.

Engram was joined on the side field by tight end Nate Adkins, who has been out for the past month with an ankle injury, and cornerback Reese Taylor, who is on the practice squad and has been recovering from a hamstring injury.

Greenlaw also did not play in any of Denver’s three preseason games. Broncos coach Sean Payton has provided few recent details on Greenlaw’s injury but has remained generally confident about him.

“Nothing to update you on,’’ Payton said after Wednesday’s practice. “Progress is going well.”

Surtain does his job

The ultimate compliment for a cornerback is for the opposing quarterback not to throw at time. Denver’s Pat Surtain II keeps getting compliments.

Titans quarterback Cam Ward only threw once at Surtain and it was an incompletion. That’s fine with Surtain, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

“I’m prepared for whatever,’’ he said. “Whatever they throw at me, whether it’s one target or it’s multiple targets, I got to be sharp and ready for the situation. … Great corners, you don’t often see them fill the stat sheet. … I feel like as a cornerback the main job for you to do is eliminate opposing receivers from getting yards and getting completions.”

Even when quarterbacks aren’t throwing his way, Surtain said it’s important he remains “locked in.”

“I never go in with a mindset that I will never get tested,’’ he said. “When those opportunities come, I know I got to make the play.”

Asked what he would consider the perfect game for him, Surtain joked, “Maybe like three picks and three touchdowns or something like that.”

Briefly

Broncos rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron lauded the aggressiveness of safety Talanoa Hufanga. “He plays very fast and violent,’’ Barron said. “If somebody else is in on the tackle, you’re probably going to get friendly fire messing with him. So he’s just dangerous to be around. I’m glad I’m on his team.” … Broncos rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant got in for just four snaps against the Titans. “I just think in our groupings we can improve that,” Payton said of Bryant, who didn’t have a target. “That was part of the (evaluation Monday).” … The Broncos have listed running back Deuce Vaughn, who signed Tuesday to the practice squad, as being 5-foot-5, 185 pounds. When he played at Kansas State and with the Dallas Cowboys from 2023-23, he was listed at 5-6, 176 pounds.