Broncos' Interest in Explosive Michigan TE Draws Insider Confirmation

Denver Broncos fans probably thought the talk of a “joker” tight end was over with the signing of Evan Engram to a two-year, $23 million contract earlier this offseason. The hopes of finding a 'joker' in the first round appeared to be dwindling regardless of Engram's arrival, with Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland being consistently mocked before the Broncos pick at 20.

However, in the words of the recently retired long-time ESPN’s College Gameday Lee Corso: “Not so fast, my friend.”

On the most recent episode of 9NEWS' Mike Klis' podcast, he restoked the 'joker' fire, hinting that the Broncos’ desire to add a prominent pass-catching tight end in the first round is anything but satiated with the addition of the soon-to-be 31-year-old Engram.

“Now, I had crossed off Colston Loveland when the Broncos signed Evan Engram, but now I’m beginning to hear they would like a young 'joker' tight end to develop right behind him and along with him. I think that would be a luxury that would still surprise me. But from what I understand, the Broncos really like Colston Loveland.”

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The current consensus appears to have Loveland’s floor at pick 14 to the Indianapolis Colts. It is far and away the most linked spot for the young and talented tight end. However, should Loveland fall past the Colts at 14, where would be the next possible spot for the Wolverine?

Outside of the Colts at 14, many have also linked Loveland to the Seattle Seahawks at pick 14. While the Seahawks have former Bronco Noah Fant and 2024 draft pick (and Loveland's Michigan teammate and fellow 2024 National Champion) AJ Barner, Seattle's new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, is known for utilizing 12 personnel and could be a team looking to target him should he fall to 18.

Perhaps a trade-up ahead of the Colts at 14 would be a tad rich, but should Loveland fall past the Colts due to their evaluation or concerns about his recovery from a shoulder injury, Denver might be tempted to move up ahead of Seattle.

Would Loveland be redundant to Engram in Denver? While Loveland can flex out with pass-catching and route-running ability that blurs the line between tight end and receiver, Loveland offers more juice than Engram does at this point in his career.

Also, with a surprising 6-foot-6 and 250-pound frame, Loveland has far more upside to develop into an in-line blocking option at tight end than Engram ever was in his NFL career.

The Broncos undoubtedly need a running back, but even more than that, they need to find franchise-altering building blocks on rookie contracts. The Broncos’ window of contention with Bo Nix is arguably opening this season, and a running back at 20 might make the 2025 iteration the best version of themselves.

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