Sean Payton has expressed regret in three different cities this year about wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. not getting enough snaps last season as a rookie.

The Broncos coach said it in February at the NFL scouting combine. He said it again in March at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando, Fla. And he said it at the team’s training facility in Englewood.

“I’ve said this, and I’ll say it again,’’ Payton said after Thursday’s organized team activities practice. “We were as much responsible for, I don’t want to say holding him back, but you’re trying to get snaps with Jerry Jeudy, with Courtland (Sutton). I think we’ll see a lot of growth (with Mims) from Year 1 to Year 2. He’s tough.”

Jeudy is gone, having been traded in March to Cleveland. And Sutton, reportedly seeking a new contract, has not shown up for voluntary spring drills, including the first two weeks of OTAs.

So, there have been plenty of opportunities for Mims to show off. He did that Thursday when he caught a nifty 55-yard touchdown pass in the workout from Jarrett Stidham.

“Incredible ball,’’ Mims said. “Just me running and I didn’t have to break stride. Caught it. Touchdown.”

Mims last season had some big plays both from scrimmage and on kickoff returns. He had the Broncos’ longest reception of the season, a 60-yard touchdown grab from Russell Wilson in Week 2 against Washington, and their longest return of the season, a 99-yard run back for a touchdown in Week 3 at Miami.

Wilson was the primary kickoff returner throughout his rookie season, and his 26.5-yard average would have led the NFL had he had enough attempts to quality. But strangely, after having nine catches for 242 yards in the first four games, he became mostly an afterthought the rest of the season from scrimmage. He finished with 22 catches for 377 yards.

Payton did talk throughout last season about needing to get more targets for Mims. But this time it sure sounds as if it will happen.

Mims vows to be up to the challenge. He said he’s way ahead of where he was last year after being a second-round pick out of Oklahoma.

“Night and day,’’ he said. “Coming in here and having that hamstring injury, when I got here, I sat out a lot (in spring drills and training camp) and then right now, I’m healthy. I feel the best I’ve felt in a while, and also (it helps) just knowing the coaches, knowing what they expect, knowing the routes, all that stuff and being with the same guys. It’s pretty cool.”

Asked about his lack of work from scrimmage last season, Mims said he’s confident that if he takes “care of my business” in practice, everything will work out.

It remains to be seen how the Broncos receiver rotation will shake out. They did sign free agent Josh Reynolds, who caught 40 passes for 608 yards last season for Detroit, and they drafted Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele, who have looked good so far.

More will be known when the Sutton situation becomes resolved in some manner. Mims hasn’t talked lately to Sutton but is hopeful of seeing him soon.

“I know exactly what we’re going to get out of Courtland Sutton when he comes back,” Mims said. “Just a leader. He’s one heck of a player.”

Mims hasn’t had to worry about playing time when it comes to returning kickoffs, but there is still some uncertainty there. The NFL changed kickoff rules drastically and Mims, like all players, will have to adjust.

“It’s more exciting,’’ Mims said. “The whole purpose of them changing the rule was to get more production out of the kickoff. Kick returns are supposed to be a good play. Last year, there were a lot of touchdowns (and) this year is supposed to be an actual play.”

NFL officials were at Denver’s training facility on Wednesday, and they spent 30 minutes briefing players and coaches on the new kickoff rules. The new rules, put in for safety reasons, will feature opposing defenders not being able to move until the returner catches the ball or it hits the ground. With that in mind, Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel said in March at the owners meetings he expects top guys such as Mims to average more than 30 yards per return.

If that becomes the case for Mims, he might find himself back at the Pro Bowl Games, which he made last season in Orlando as a kickoff returner. Mims said one of the benefits of being at the Pro Bowl last season was getting to talk at length with star receivers Tyreek Hill of Miami and Stefon Diggs, then with Buffalo and now with Houston.

“Just to be able to talk to those guys about ball, to see how they handle themselves and their bodies, it was sweet,’’ Mims said.

Perhaps one day Mims will be at the Pro Bowl as a receiver. For now, he’s just trying to regularly work at that spot.

Payton insists that will happen. And he’s been spreading the word across the country.