There aren't a lot of big-name tight ends in next month's draft, but the deep draft class at TE could be the answer.
The Denver Broncos still have some roster needs, even with the team’s stunning trade for receiver Jaylen Waddle. At this point they’re familiar to Broncos fans, but the Broncos might have some surprising options to meet them, especially at one key position, according to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post.
Start at tight end. That’s perceived as the biggest position of need among fans and experts, even though the Broncos have signed all their free agent tight ends and are basically bringing back the entire tight-end room to date.
That’s where the surprise comes in. Gabriel also described this group as “underwhelming,” but he also acknowledged that most of the better free-agent options are now long tone, and the Broncos aren’t exactly drafting in a favorable position in April.
But that might not matter. According to draft expert Dane Brugler from The Athletic, this is a very deep draft class at tight end that ranks among the best he’s ever seen.
“Still haven’t found the bottom of this TE draft class,” Brugler wrote on social media. “There are going to be some useful guys still around late rounds/PFA. I have more draft able TEs in this class than any I’ve ever done.”
That brings an interesting comp into play: the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Sean McVay is considered one of the leading offensive innovators in the NFL, and he’s been doing that lately with tight ends.
Lots of tight ends. McVay has been using plenty of three tight-end sets, and while the players he’s employing might not be the most dynamic or exciting, they can all block and catch the ball. They’re available when receivers like Puka Nacua get doubled, and when that happens that they happen to be lumbering along once they get the ball doesn’t seem to matter quite as much.
The Broncos have already done that some with backup tight end Adam Trautman, albeit on a limited level. The addition of Waddle might make that more of that sort of thing possible, and it would also help open up the running game a little more.
Brugler didn’t throw out a lot of names, and Gabriel did note that there aren’t a lot of top-shelf names like Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren from last year’s draft. He did mention Eli Stowers of Vanderbilt if the Broncos might want to shoot higher in the draft, although that might require some creativity when April rolls around.