The Broncos’ 27-26 overtime win at Washington in late-November will be remembered primarily for Nik Bonitto’s walk-off, 2-point conversion swat that secured victory.
In 2025, it also stands as the closest thing Denver got to an Evan Engram Game.
Coming off a bye week, Engram had season-highs in catches (six), targets (nine) and yards (79). Instead of a jumping off point for the stretch run, though, Engram didn’t log more than four catches or 45 yards in a game the rest of the way and didn’t approach the 54.3% of snaps he played that night.
Despite the modest numbers and season overall, Engram was still Denver’s best pass-catching option in 2025. He finished with 50 catches and 461 yards, which isn’t going to blow anybody away but is the top yardage number posted by a Denver tight end since Noah Fant had 670 in 2021.
The Broncos finished No. 26 in the NFL in tight end receiving yards (719), but that was actually a substantial jump from the club’s totals of 455 in 2024 and 362 in 2023.
At present, Denver’s 2026 group looks exactly like its 2025. Engram’s headed into the second and final year of his deal — he’s guaranteed $5 million in 2026 and has a cap number of $14.14 million — and Denver re-signed Adam Trautman (three years), Nate Adkins (one) and Lucas Krull (one).
On paper, then, the Broncos have moved tight end out of the “must” category because they literally have players on their roster.
Make no mistake, though, itap squarely a “need” as the NFL Draft arrives Thursday through Saturday.
“I’ll say this about this class, if you’re looking for a blocking “Y,” there’s a handful available that would be targets,” Denver head coach Sean Payton said Thursday. “If you’re looking for a move — a little bit undersized ‘F’ — they’re out there. So, to each his own. The different types of tight ends are available.
“It’s always a challenge at that position because sometimes you’re projecting from an offense that’s playing them differently.”
The Broncos need to find and develop a difference-maker of their own. The question: What type should they target?
There’s a compelling argument to be made for the “Y” tight end who can play in-line and also be a threat in the passing game. At the same time, Trautman (more of that type of player) just signed a three-year, $18 million contract and Engram — essentially a big receiver — is headed into the final year of his deal.
For a flavor of the variety of options in the upcoming draft, look no further than a pair of players who could be in contention for Denver’s first pick of the proceedings, whether thatap at No. 62, slightly up or slightly back from there.
The first is Vanderbiltap Eli Stowers. There’s every chance he could be gone by the time Denver’s on the board. They may have to try to move up if they want him.
In recent days, there’s been reporting that some teams consider him a receiver rather than a tight end. He’s a proverbial “Joker,” but is his blocking a joke?
“I don’t know that he’s going to be a butt-kicker in there, but he can improve in that area,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said this week. “I don’t know how much you’re really going to put his hand in the ground, though. I just think he’s comfortable as that jumbo slot. I used to find it interesting that even some tight ends in the NFL that were flexed every time, you just put tight end next to their name, and way back when, defensive coordinators would match personnel because it said TE in the program. They get treated like, ‘this is a receiver.’
“You can put TE next to his name all you want, but he’s definitely a big slot receiver.”
He’s a heck of a receiver, though. Stowers jumped 45.5 inches vertical at the combine at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds. He had 62 catches for 769 yards in 12 games for the Commodores. Denver got an up-close look at him Tuesday when they hosted him on a top-30visit, one of a number of tight ends who have visited in recent weeks.
“He is explosive. He’s got unbelievable ball skills to track it and go get it down the field,” Jeremiah said. “The highlights are exceptional. He can break tackles after the catch. He’s got burst into and out of breaks. He’s been a little bit inconsistent on some of the combat catches. When you see him in crowds, thatap something that he can continue to get better at. But he’s my No. 2 tight end. I think he’s a second-round pick all day long.”
Then there’s Michigan’s Marlin Klein. The German national is 6-6 and 248 pounds and has never caught more than 24 passes in a season in his career. Jeremiah, though, thinks Klein could get picked around Denver’s No. 62 and, if not, then by the time Friday ends.
“Just because teams are looking for these hand-in-the-ground, ‘Y’ tight ends that have size,” he said. “That can block but also have some speed and some ability to make plays down the field, which he does. The 4.61 40 is legit. You see that on tape. And he’s another one who, the trend line is going up there.
“He had to wait his turn behind (2025 first-rounder Colston) Loveland. If he was the featured tight end at Michigan for three years, I think we’d be talking about him as a guaranteed lock of a second-round pick.”
The bottom line is the Broncos could use both a potential young upgrade at “Y” and also a homegrown playmaker more in the Joker role. They looked at “Y” players ahead of free agency, but ultimately saw the price tag go to $8-10 million a year for players like Charlie Kolar, Daniel Bellinger and Cade Otton and instead re-signed Trautman at $5.7 million per year.
If that guy, Klein or someone else, is available in a range Denver likes, itap a good use of a pick. Given Engram’s contractual status and down year in 2025, though, the Broncos should be thrilled if they somehow end up in a position to land a player like Stowers.
The odds look low from here, but hey, stranger things have happened.
“You talk about that conversation thatap taken place in Denver forever about trying to find that ‘Joker’ and those mismatch-type players,” Jeremiah said. “(Stowers) definitely fits that bill.”
