The solution to Denver’s lack of offensive productivity at the tight end position may be having conversations with Broncos coaches, but the team wants to see what it has on the field with its current players – one in particular – before making a move on former Panthers and Browns tight end Gary Barnidge.
Andrew Mason, Senior Digital Reporter for DenverBroncos.com joined The Final Verdict on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 and shed some light on the comments Barnidge made recently about his contact with the Broncos.
“All that’s happened, really, is that some of his former coaches have called him,” Mason told Dan Jacobs and guest host ‘Raider Dan’ on Tuesday. “The connection there is Geep Chryst, the tight ends coach and Mike McCoy, now offensive coordinator, they were both in Carolina and they drafted Gary Barnidge back in 2008. So they were his first coaches. They’ve always had a good relationship, going back to that, but there’s nothing that seems to be imminent on Gary Barnidge becoming a Bronco.”
Of the eight tight ends currently on the Broncos’ roster, only one of them can say that he’s found the end zone in the NFL. Virgil Green, a seventh-round draft pick by Denver in 2011, has scored just three touchdowns in his six seasons in the NFL. But that’s three more than the other seven tight ends on Denver’s roster have scored combined.
It’s no secret that Denver needs greater offensive production out of the tight end position. Outside of Virgil Green, Denver’s seven tight ends have a grand total of only 26 NFL receptions between them.
Barnidge opened a lot of eyes in NFL circles with a big 2015 season, when he scored nine touchdowns and compiled 1,043 yards on 79 receptions. He remains a free agent after posting 612 yards and two touchdowns on 55 catches last year.
“I think actually, Vance Joseph, he talked about he’s content with the group,” Mason said.
Following Tuesday’s practice, Joseph specifically singled out three players among that group.
“It’s a mixed-bag group,” Joseph said at his press conference. “It’s a big blocker in [Virgil] Green. It’s a new move guy in [A.J.] Derby. It’s a young guy in [Jeff] Heuerman. It’s a group of great potential first of all. It’s exciting to watch those guys go make plays. Our safeties are really, really good players, [S T.J.] Ward and those guys—so to beat those guys one on one, that’s fun to see.”
Mason believes the real key to the Barnidge situation is Heuerman, the 2015 third-round draft pick who has been active for only 12 games and caught just nine passes in his NFL career.
“I think that they want to get a look at Jeff Heuerman to see where he is, to see if he’s healthy, if he can stay healthy,” Mason continued.
“Because, of course, he had the torn ACL during his rookie, during a practice his rookie year at rookie camp. He had ankle problems that started on the practice field last year. So he hasn’t shown that he can stay healthy. I think they want to see, ‘Okay, what can Jeff Heurerman do? Let’s get a look at him out there on the practice field,’ before they make a move on Gary Barnidge.”
Heuerman had 52 career receptions for 792 yards and seven touchdowns in four years at Ohio State. He scored a touchdown in an Orange Bowl loss to Clemson in 2014, but his inability to stay on the field in Denver has, in part, played a role in the lobbying to bring Barndige to Denver and is a big part of why the Barnidge to Denver rumors persist.
“So, I would say nothing’s imminent, but there is a relationship there, which is why it would surprise nobody if Barnidge [came] to the Broncos at some point,” Mason concluded.
Listen to the full interview with Mason, including his thoughts on the battle at the left tackle position, in the podcast below.
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