The Denver Broncos tight end room should be more productive this upcoming season after Sean Payton added Evan Engram into the mix. What does the room look like going into training camp?
Denver Broncos Training Camp: Evan Engram revitalizes tight end room
Last year, the Denver Broncos tight end production looked like this. The leading number of catches from that room was 19 and the leading number of yards was 188. Lucas Krull and Adam Trautman led the team in those two categories exclusively at the position.
That’s not good enough to win or sustainably put yourself in a position to win. While Trautman was the most valuable tight end on the roster, he’s better off not as the team’s TE1.
Enter Evan Engram. Sean Payton added his ‘Joker’ that he’s been looking for in NFL Free Agency and Engram should immediately elevate the status of that room. He’ll play everywhere — in-line, offset underneath the offensive formation, flexed in the slot, and outside the numbers.
Engram will be the move-around piece and should become one of the top targets for Bo Nix as he prepares for his second season in the NFL.
He’ll be the clear-cut TE1 for the Broncos this season, but what does the rest of the room look like?
Broncos tight end room features interesting options
With Engram locking up the top spot, it would be fair to assume that Trautman will be the No.2 tight end option because of his reliability and blocking. With Engram getting more looks in the passing game, I’d argue that Trautman’s opportunities might open up more as an impact pass catcher, where he could become a potential third-down target for Nix and in the red zone.
Behind Engram and Trautman, there are plenty of questions.
Payton drafted Caleb Lohner in the seventh round as a development prospect who he believes has elite-level traits that could become something in this system. He’ll get opportunities in camp, but he’ll be competing against Lucas Krull, who has been a developmental prospect for Payton for the last two seasons.
Krull’s height and athleticism are something Broncos fans have wanted to see used offensively since he was picked up after initial roster cuts in 2023, but his usage hasn’t quite materialized and players like Trautman and Nate Adkins saw more opportunities offensively.
Adkins is the most interesting name to watch in camp, simply because he plays a hybrid role that fluctuates between tight end and fullback. It’s hard to project whether or not he’ll compete at tight end or if he’ll compete with veteran Michael Burton for that fullback role on offense, which makes it easier to project his roster status compared to tight end.
Ultimately, it’s a numbers game, and special teams will be the deciding factor to round out the depth if the Broncos keep three or four players. Trautman and Adkins have embraced special teams previously, so that gives them an advantage on paper, while Krull has also gotten involved on special teams.
Caden Prieskorn was an addition to the tight end room after rookie minicamp, and he’ll get opportunities in training camp and the preseason to throw his name into the mix.
How the tight end room shapes out will be one of the most important developments of the offseason if Denver’s offense hopes to become more consistent next season.
