Fangio Offers Encouraging Progress Report on Blocking Acumen of Rookie TE Albert Okwuegbunam
A rookie fourth-round draft pick doesn’t traditionally catch many headlines during his first NFL training camp, but tight end Albert Okwuegbunam is making enough splashy plays to garner a fair amount of media scrutiny and hype.
The 22-year-old’s impressive physical size-and-speed combination worked well for him at the University of Missouri, and that already established chemistry with second-year QB Drew Lock is something the Broncos have been excited to see develop during training camp.
“I feel like it’s huge because we know how we are as players, if that makes sense,” Okwuegbunam told Aric DiLalla of the team site on Monday. “All the chemistry we built up at Mizzou has translated really well. He knows what I’m really good at; I know what he likes to see from a receiving standpoint as far as my routes and my demeanor when the ball is in the air. I feel like that’s where our chemistry really hits off.”
Seeing Lock and his college tight end connecting on big plays downfield hasn't overly surprised the Broncos' coaches, considering Okwuegbunam led the SEC in touchdown receptions in 2017. What Denver needs him to develop, if he is going make an NFL leap, is to become a dependable factor in his blocking assignments.
Head coach Vic Fangio emphasized that aspect of Okwuegbunam's game following Monday’s practice session at UC Health Training Center.
“He’s improving in that area,” Fangio said via a virtual Zoom presser. “I think the biggest thing or one of the biggest things with a tight end as it relates to blocking is do they want to do it? Do they have the mentality to block and be prideful in it? He’s shown that he does and he’s willing. That’s a big hurdle to get over for a lot of tight ends especially the ones coming out of college these days that don’t do it that much. I think he is making some good progress there.”
Fangio's update on Okwuegbunam's progress as a blocker is actually quite notable considering the public criticism the head coach leveled at the rookie a couple of weeks back. Okwuegbunam took that message to heart, it would seem, and has doubled down on his commitment to blocking.
For Okwuegbunam and the Broncos, it’s all about making that traditional transition from the relative simplicity of the college ranks where blocking is not emphasized and taught in-depth by coaches (outside of a few schools like Iowa) to the much more detailed responsibilities of the NFL. It’s something that last year’s first-round draft pick and fellow tight end Noah Fant struggled with early on last season before making significant strides with his blocking techniques.
Okwuegbunam is all too aware that he has to buy into the ‘grind first/glamour later’ ethos if the coaching staff is going to fully trust in him to be on the field. Without that trust, his game-changing ability as a receiver cannot come to the surface. In other words, if he wants to see the field as a rookie, he's got to prove to the coaches he can be a competent blocker.
“That’s not really for me to say on my role,” Okwuegbunam told the team site. “As far as coming out and making plays, I feel like I’ve done a good job with that, am I a perfect player to earn that role early on? That’s up for them to decide. Obviously, I have some improvements to make for sure. But you know, obviously, I would love to have an impact early. That’s the competitor I am.”
It could present a scenario where Fangio and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur opt to go with four tight ends on the active roster, particularly considering the relative youth and inexperience of the Fant and Okwuegbunam at the top of the depth chart. Given how talented the Broncos' tight end group is on paper, making these type of tough roster decisions will be tough, but it sure is a good problem to have.
The Broncos will have to trim their roster to 53 players by Saturday, September 5. Fans will know soon enough which tight ends make the roster but one thing is already certain; Okwuegbunam will be one of them.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
