The Denver Broncos are on the hunt for the Joker. No, not the one that’s already in the Mile High City, but one they hope to bring to town to help transform Sean Payton’s offense.

Denver Broncos on quest to find ‘Joker’ for Sean Payton

The term ‘Joker’ is one that many in Broncos Country are fatigued of hearing on every social media site possible as the Denver Broncos offseason carousel spins. While the term may be fatiguing, it’s something that head coach Sean Payton has identified as a ‘must-have’ this offseason.

We know that the ‘Joker’ is a tight end or running back who possesses an elite level receiving ability, specifically to attack the middle of the field. With the NFL largely transitioning into a two-high safety shell in an effort to take away the deep ball down the sideline or deep middle, attacking the soft spots at 7-15 yards is key in today’s NFL, and Payton believes finding a ‘Joker’ can help him and the offense take a big leap in 2025 with Bo Nix in his second season.

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“When you pick [No.] 20, it’s not as easy to say, ‘We’re going to find that,’” Payton said. “That player can be a running back or tight end. Yet, it’s just something that we are mindful of as we look at both the draft and free agency. I use that term for when you have one of those guys who are matchup challenges inside, it really helps you [in] third down and [in the] red zone. There are ways defensively you can handle the outside receivers and force the ball inside. That is something we will look closely at.”

There are several in-house candidates who could work their way into that role — Tyler Badie, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Blake Watson are three names who could become this if Denver doesn’t add a player in NFL Free Agency or the NFL Draft. They currently do not possess a player on the roster at tight end who fits what this description would be, and that’s led to tight end being one of the most talked about positions for the Broncos this offseason.

“It helps,” Payton said. “The tight end or running back being able to be a target relative to the center of the field… Look, it’s different than a guard or an edge rusher or cornerback. Sometimes, a draft might only have maybe a candidate or two at one of those positions. Certainly, you hit a couple of positions that fit into the ‘must’ realm, and yet I would say, ‘Not at all costs.’ It has to be something that makes sense when we are either signing them in free agency or drafting them. It is a priority.”

While it’s a priority for the Broncos, trying to find that type of player is a challenge and that’s been echoed by general manager George Paton.

“I know we’re searching for the ‘Joker,’” Paton said. “It’s kind of like the Loch Ness Monster of trying to find a ‘Joker.’ I’ve played [Head Coach] Sean [Payton]’s teams that have had them, and they’re hell. So a lot of different backs. I think it’s a good year to maybe go get a back because there are so many.”

So do the Broncos feel that a back in this year’s draft has the best overall skillset to become a Joker? It seems that way based on Paton’s response, but he also went into detail about the type of traits they are looking for.

“They’re just mismatch guys,” Paton said. “They’re hard to find. Whether it’s a receiver, whether it’s a tight end, runner or guys that can just stress the defense in so many different ways, and you can’t single cover them. So there’s just not many of those guys in the league. Really there aren’t. You can count them on one hand with how many there are. So it’s unique. We’re always searching, and we’ll find one certainly at some point.”

Whether that comes this year or next year, the Denver Broncos search for their Joker in the deck is still underway.