Broncos TE Situation: 3 Free-Agent Fits in 2025

It’s been 11 years since the Denver Broncos have had a viable receiving threat at the tight end position, and with Sean Payton’s desperate desire to acquire a true mismatch in the passing game for his “joker” position, it wouldn’t surprise anybody if they were major players in both free agency and the NFL draft this offseason.

Denver’s tight ends over the past several seasons have left a lot of meat on the bone, both in the passing game and as run blockers on the front side of the play. The Broncos have tried several different remedies, including trying out Virgil Green and Owen Daniels as starters after losing Julius Thomas to free agency a decade ago and drafting Noah Fant with the 20th overall selection in 2019 before trading him to Seattle.

The Broncos have brought in several different veteran free agents like Adam Trautman to fill the void, to no avail. The team has to improve across the board at one of the most challenging positions to play in the entire league.

Tight ends are critical to offensive success because they have to understand the route tree, run blocking schemes, and also be able to hold their own as pass blockers. It’s a major problem and one that needs to be addressed this offseason.

Tight Ends under contract for 2025: Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, Thomas Yassmin

In 2024, Denver featured one of the worst tight end rooms in the league and struggled to find ways to exploit the middle of the field with a true receiving threat. The trio of Trautman, Krull, and Adkins only mustered a combined 48 receptions for 459 yards and five total touchdowns. That production was worse than 23 individual tight ends in terms of receptions and 27 individual players in yards.

Running it back in 2025 with Trautman and Adkins as the top two options on the roster would be a horrific idea. Krull is an exclusive rights free agent this season, so he should also be back on the roster as a cheap competition piece and developmental player, but there should be other additions to the room.

Free Agency Priority: Very High

The Broncos would do well for themselves to not only draft a long-term solution to the problem but also find a capable veteran who can help to steady the ship as the rookie learns the NFL game. There are a handful of high-quality starting-level prospects in this year’s draft class, but understanding the playbook and responsibilities within the offense is difficult for younger players as they enter the league.

Denver needs at least one starting quality player with experience to upgrade the depth of the room in general and help the young player grow into his role on the field. This year’s free agency group at the position features a handful of capable options that would instantly be upgrades over Trautman, who would still be a quality depth player to help round out the roster.

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Free-Agent Fits

Austin Hooper | New England Patriots

Arguably the best all-around tight end in free agency this season, Hooper makes a ton of sense as an in-line addition to the offense and upgrade Trautman as the veteran leader of the locker room. Hooper has been a solid player for several years at the position and would instantly be the most complete tight end the Broncos have had since Owen Daniels back in 2015.

Hooper posted 45 receptions for 472 yards and three touchdowns last season with zero dropped passes on the 11th-highest receiving grade of any tight end with at least 40 targets last year. He’s more than capable as a run and pass blocker, posting the seventh-highest run-blocking grade and 11th-highest pass-blocking grade of any player with at least 250 blocking reps last year.

As a 31-year-old veteran journeyman, Hooper could be a bargain addition to the room and become a security blanket for second-year quarterback Bo Nix. Hooper is a perfect complementary piece and arguably the most ideal fit in free agency in terms of production, reliability, and cost to acquire.

Juwan Johnson | New Orleans Saints

A natural fit due to his previous experience with Sean Payton in New Orleans, Johnson is a quality receiving option who has shown linear growth over his first five seasons, culminating in a career year in 2024. Johnson caught 50 passes on 64 targets for 548 yards and three touchdowns, posting a career-high 71.3 receiving grade, according to Pro Football Focus. That receiving grade was the 16th-highest of any player with at least 40 targets last season.

As a blocker, Johnson leaves a lot to be desired, though he can line up attached to the line of scrimmage and offer some help on the backside of a running play. However, that’s not what you are typically going to ask him to do on a down-by-down basis. He works incredibly well out of the slot as an athletic mismatch who can win vertically over the middle of the field.

Given his age (29 years old) and ascension as a receiver, Johnson could have a pretty imposing market as a free agent. According to Spotrac, he carries a $10.1 million market value with a projected three-year contract worth $30.2 million compared to what similar players received on the market in the past.

Mike Gesicki | Cincinnati Bengals

If you’re looking for a big body 'move' tight end who plays more like a receiver and offers very little in the running game as a blocker, Gesicki is exactly that guy. He lines up as a slot receiver the majority of the time and is a terror over the middle of the field, especially in the red zone.

Gesicki caught 32 passes on 36 targets for 416 yards and a touchdown between the numbers last season, posting an elite 96.4 grade in the intermediate (10-19 yards downfield) area over the middle of the field, via PFF. He would make a great receiving threat for the Broncos and offer a reliable checkdown for Nix as well.

Free-Agent Fits

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