Broncos' Offseason Could Still Take One Major Turn Before Week 1

The Denver Broncos' roster, as currently constructed, could probably walk into the 2026 season and be a surefire bet to make the postseason once again.

They spent most of their efforts this offseason prioritizing continuity from last year's roster, retaining all of the pieces that made their 14-3 campaign possible, and outside of losing John Franklin-Myers to the Tennessee Titans and bringing in Jaylen Waddle via trade, this group is vastly similar to what they rolled out in 2025.

So maybe with that mindset, the Broncos are satisfied with their current group, and they might not want to bring in any veteran free agents to rattle much of what led them to the number-one seed in the AFC. That's probably the most likely approach that Denver takes in the weeks ahead.

But still, there's a few impactful veteran free agents leftover on the market heading into training camps next week, and the Broncos have some cap space to spend if they wanted to add one or two of those lingering names into the mix.

So is a late free agent signing from Denver really the most unrealistic turnout to expect? It could be more possible than you think.

And if the Broncos did want to spend a little of that cap space, perhaps they could target one position group to improve before Week 1 kicks off––and that's their tight end group.

Could the Texans Make a Late Free Agent Signing at TE?

The Broncos' tight end group did receive some attention throughout this offseason with some minor tweaks via the draft.

Denver added two names in day three with Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley. But unless either of those guys sticks out in camp, or 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner surprises, it's hard to imagine this group having a different turn out than they did last season. It's a serviceable group, but nothing that jumps out as super inspiring.

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NC State tight end Justin Joly (TE09) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That's why adding a tight end via free agency could make sense here. If anything, Denver can add more competition to the room in camp and see how they work together with this room in comparison with the incoming young talents.

If that veteran works out, he can easily slot into the depth chart as high as a TE2 behind Evan Engram, or a TE3 behind Adam Trautman. If he doesn't work out, Denver can cut ties before the season. No harm, no foul.

Who's Up for Grabs That Denver Can Sign?

Two players stick out as the most productive and healthy guys that the Broncos could bring on: Jonnu Smith and Darren Waller.

Smith sticks out as a more likely bet to have interest stemming from Denver because of his age and ability to be a productive blocker and receiving threat. Waller also just recently came out of retirement in 2025, and doesn't exactly have a clear determination on what's next for his NFL future.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith (81) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two other big names that could make sense, but have questions in terms of their health are Will Dissly and Zach Ertz. Dissly was released by the LA Chargers with a failed physical in March, and Ertz suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 of last season.

There's no guarantee that either is good to go for camp, but could also be added to the list of candidates the Broncos could take an interest in, if they wanted to add depth to the position.

So if the Broncos wanted to add anyone, Jonnu Smith makes the most sense to get the call-up. He'd be affordable, healthy, low-risk, and could be a guy who gets a good share of snaps throughout the season as a respectable TE2, and iron out some of Denver's highly discussed issues at the position.

At the very least, the idea is food for thought as the Broncos get closer and closer to getting back on the field at the end of the month.

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