Draft Experts Answer Whether Broncos Reached on TE Greg Dulcich in Round 3
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One position that was considered particularly weak and unknown on the Denver Broncos' roster entering the 2022 NFL draft was tight end. The Broncos did indeed trade away one of the best up-and-coming tight ends in football in Noah Fant this offseason in the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson.
Given Wilson’s tight end usage and avoidance of the middle of the field in the passing game, compared to most quarterbacks, perhaps the classic chain-mover, work the middle of the field, catch-the-pass-and-fall-down tight end trope isn’t as valuable in Denver compared to some other teams around the league.
With that said for this Broncos’ offense, and for Wilson specifically, a dynamic down-the-field receiving tight end is certainly something this team desired in the 2022 draft. The team hopes to have done just that by selecting UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich with the 80th overall selection.
While the opinions surrounding this pick for the Broncos were varied given the team traded out of pick 75 to pick 80, thereby passing such draft darlings as Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann and UConn interior defensive linemen Travis Jones, the analysts over The Draft Network thought GM George Paton continued a strong Day 2 with this selection following the earlier pick of Oklahoma pass rusher Nik Bonitto.
TDN’s Kyle Crabbs immediately praised Dulcich for his outstanding performance during the week of the Senior Bowl, dubbing the tight end a company “brand guy” and “one of the biggest winners from that week in Mobile.” TDN’s Drae Harris expounded on why he and his colleagues loved the Dulcich pick so much for his fit in Denver and the team’s exciting 2022 offense.
“They traded away (Noah) Fant in the Russell Wilson trade, but they get the tight end who some people think is the number one tight end or the number two tight end in this entire class," Harris said. "He’s got soft hands, he’s got great production. He’s really good after the catch (he is). For a guy who can play some F, a guy who can play in-line, he can play some H-back. This is a player you can move around in most places so I like the fit for them."
Based on the tape, it’s easy to get excited about Dulcich's overall versatility and big-play potential. While not the testing athlete as some of the more recently highly-drafted tight ends praised for their impact in the passing game, Dulcich is a smooth operator who can line up just about anywhere in today’s game.
Dulcich will need to continue to work on his ability as an in-line blocker if he is to ascend to becoming a truly dynamic multifaceted weapon, impacting the run game as much as the passing game, but his aerial potential should stand out for the Broncos so much in Year 1 that it should not surprise any fans if Dulcich winds up starting as the team’s de facto TE1 sooner rather than later.
While Dulcich does need to continue to add strength and mass to his lengthy frame and improve upon his blocking technique, he was tasked with the responsibility of playing the Y tight end in Chip Kelly’s offense at UCLA, so it’s not a completely foreign ask of him in Denver. As Crabbs continued discussing the selection, he stated that he loved Dulcich’s “ability to play in-line and potentially take some of those snaps.”
Thus freeing up fellow athletic tight end Albert Okuwegbunam. “He’s a big-time height/weight/speed guy," Crabbs said. "Dulcich is a guy who can play with his hand in the dirt (with Okuwegbunam flexed elsewhere).”
Given how the Green Bay Packers utilized a variety of tight ends in Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis, on top of finding niche roles for “tweener” tight end/wide receiver hybrids such as Allen Lazard, finding a role and snaps for Okuwegbunam, Eric Tomlinson, and now Dulcich might wind up being an embarrassment of riches when it comes to options this season, especially when considering the wide receiver and running back talent on Denver’s roster.
Given early reports of Wilson’s involvement in the selection of Dulcich, the tight end’s ability to create explosive plays down the field and be dynamic after the catch, don’t be the least surprised to see the rookie tight end find favor fast in the Mile High City from his new quarterback.
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