The Broncos want foes to think twice about kicking away from Marvin Mims Jr.

The wide receiver has been one of the NFL’s top kickoff returners in his first three seasons and has a sparkling career return average of 26.6 yards. But Mims, who did miss two games last season, had 25 returns in 2025 while other Denver players combined for 34.

Mims, a Pro Bowl selection as a returner in 2023 and 2024, averaged 26.3 yards last season. Running back R.J. Harvey had 16 returns while averaging a pedestrian 22.1 yards. And while running back Tyler Badie had 17 returns and averaged a fine 26.6 yards, he’s no guarantee to make the 53-man roster in 2026.

Enter wide receiver Kolbe Katsis, who has agreed to sign with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Arizona. He was fourth in the FCS last season with a kickoff return average of 30.6 yards, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Northern Colorado.

“I think I’ll bring grit, competitiveness, speed and I’m just willing to do whatever job I have to do to help the team score and put people in a position where our special teams will be feared in a sense and open the field even more and force the kicker that’s kicking to returners to maybe think a little bit about who he wants to kick to,’’ Katsis told The Denver Gazette.

Katsis spoke to Broncos special teams coach Darren Rizzi both before and after the April 23-25 draft. He was told the Broncos have a need for a kickoff returner to line up alongside Mims.

Can Katsis be that guy?

“Yes, sir,’’ he said. “One hundred percent.”

Katsis said he agreed a week before the draft to sign with Denver if he wasn’t selected. The college free agent, who will report to the Broncos on Thursday and take part in a rookie minicamp Friday through Sunday, has agreed to sign a contract with a $5,000 signing bonus and with $25,000 guaranteed for a total guarantee of $30,000.

Katsis runs the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds. But he said it’s not all about speed in being a successful kickoff returner.

“What I do is I’m pretty patient, but at the same time, if I see a hole, I’m going to burst as fast as I can through it,’’ he said. “But there’s a tempo to it and some people don’t see that all the time. People just think (you) run as fast as you can when you catch the ball, but there’s a hidden art with it being tempo.”

Katsis gave plenty of credit to his blockers for his kickoff returns in college, including the one Nov. 8 at home against Northern Colorado. He said on that return his blockers did the “dirty work” and he “turned on the boosters” after he saw an opening.

Katsis said the transition to the NFL’s different kickoff rules will be “huge” and that he’s “starting back on a blank canvas.” But he’s confident in making the adjustment and is “super stoked” to start showing off his skills at the rookie minicamp.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Katsis grew up in the Tulsa, Okla., area and attended Lincoln Christian School, a private high school in the city. He wasn’t heavily recruited and spent his first three college seasons at Division II Pittsburg (Kan.) State. That time included returning two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Katsis then followed Brian Wright when he went from head coach at Pittsburg State to take over at Northern Arizona. He broke loose last season as a receiver and kickoff returner. That included having 60 receptions for 1,068 yards while averaging 17.8 yards per grab and scoring 10 touchdowns for the Lumberjacks.

“I love the position of receiver,’’ he said. “That’s the position I’ve been playing for really my whole football career (since) the seventh grade. I like being able to beat people off the line. … I like the grit that comes with it and the mentality you have to have to go out there and be a playmaker.”

Katsis said not to sell him short as a receiver. But he doesn’t deny his best chance to make the Broncos figures to be as a kickoff returner.