The Denver Broncos were a decent offensive team in 2025, usually late in games, but the tight end position hindered the team's success.
The Denver Broncos didn’t get nearly enough production out of the tight end position a season ago and it weighed the team down offensively.
When veteran tight end Evan Engram was signed to a two-year deal by the Broncos, Coach Sean Payton envisioned he would take on the “Joker” role and be the Swiss-army knife type of player that he loves on his roster.
Unfortunately, Engram didn’t live up to the expectations set by Payton and he didn’t do any of the things somebody in that coveted role would do.
Engram is a receive-first tight end who isn’t the greatest blocker, so his role was extremely limited and he wasn’t even great in the receiving department – although he led all Broncos TEs in targets (76), receptions (50), yards (461) and tied for the lead with one touchdown, it was a disappointing season for the 31-year-old.
His last full season prior to 2025 was in 2023 with the Jacksonville Jaguars and it’s no secret that the version of Engram that Jacksonville got was the one Denver was hoping to get. Engram was targeted a whopping 143 times and caught 114 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns.
The veteran addressed that the tight end room as a whole, which includes Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull, could have done so much more last season.
“I do think the tight end position can bring a lot more than it did,” Engram said at the start of the offseason. “There's a lot more we honestly could have helped with.”
Trautman, Adkins and Krull were all re-signed by Denver during the offseason, but many thought the Broncos would approach its tight end room differently. While bringing all of these guys back screams continuity for a unit that wasn’t great, the organization is high on the two tight ends it drafted last month and believe they can make an instant impact.
Denver selected NC State’s Justin Joly with pick No. 152 and Utah’s Dallen Bentley with pick No. 256 and envision big things in their futures. Joly has been praised for his effectiveness on contested passes and his desire to do anything his team asks of him.
“So, it's like, ‘If you want to put me in the backfield, do you want to put me anywhere on the field? I'll do it,’” said Joly. “Even if they want [me] to play defense, just let me know -- I got you guys.”
That kind of versatility and coachability will keep him in the league for years to come, and there’s speculation that he will become Denver’s top red zone target at some point this season.
As for Bentley, his impact likely comes in the form of blocking, and he knows he has the body for it. Coach Payton called him a “traditional in-line prospect.”
Another tight end who has gone under the radar is fellow Utah tight end Caleb Lohner, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 draft. He’s a raw prospect but was praised at length by Coach Payton for being extremely noticeable in rookie minicamp. According to Joly, Lohner is “uber-athletic, he can jump out of [the] sky, quick-twitch.”
Expect the Broncos tight ends to play with a chip on their shoulders in 2026, especially the veterans who didn’t play their best last season.