Mile High Sports
The Denver Broncos tight end room must be used more in 2026 if the offense is going to make another leap forward. What does the room look like going into training camp?
Since Sean Payton took over the head coaching job for the Broncos, the tight ends in his offense have been a valuable piece, but not in the way that most people perceive the position.
When you hear about tight ends, you typically think of the guys who are catching 75+ passes and impacting the middle of the field. That role is important to have inside of Payton’s offense, but the Broncos have not used the tight ends that way.
Veteran Adam Trautman returns after signing a three-year deal in free agency, and he’s been the No. 1 tight end in terms of snaps played. In 2025, Trautman had 651 offensive snaps (57%) and appeared in all 17 games, where he had 20 catches for 195 yards on 23 targets, according to Pro Football Reference.
The issue with Trautman isn’t the overall number of snaps; it’s the number of targets. While he’s the Broncos’ best blocking tight end, I believe he’s been underutilized in the passing game. He’s not a world-beater with size or athleticism, but Trautman’s got some pretty sure-fire hands.
He’s been a checkdown or outlet option primarily, where he’ll chip a defender, block for a second or two, and then release to the flat on a route or run a curl. Trautman, if he’s going to play that large a volume of snaps, needs to be thrown to more. Coming back on a three-year deal, this makes him arguably the sharpied in starter.
What about Evan Engram? He played a career low in snaps last season, only seeing 458 snaps compared to Trautman’s 650+. His utilization rate was too low, and there was never a real moment where he was allowed the opportunity to get hot on a consistent basis.
Engram had 461 yards receiving on 50 catches with one touchdown. He also was tied for the most drops on the team with Courtland Sutton with eight, but some of those throws weren’t always placed accurately to him, especially early on in the season as he and Bo Nix continued to work on their chemistry.
Engram never once pouted or showcased to us at practice, in the locker room during the week or postgames if he was frustrated, but if he was he had every right to be.
Denver’s offensive roles at tight end are viewed as in-line Y and move-around F-type players. The in-line Y is Adam Trautman, while Engram is the F-type. Their two roles are solidified going into 2026, and while Trautman needs more targets in the passing game, Engram needs more overall snaps as the top two guys.
Behind Adam Trautman and Evan Engram, there is wide-open competition for...
